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Tffg   II L  USTRA  TED 

STRAWBERRY 
CU  L  TURIST 


I  HI 
'" 


N  PRE  W    S,    FULLE 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


THE 

ILLUSTRATED 

STEAWBERET  CULTURIST: 


CONTAINING  THE 


HISTORY,  SEXUALITY,  FIELD  AND  GARDEN  CULTURE  OP  STRAW. 

BERRIES,  FORCING  OR  POT  CULTURE,  HOW  TO 

GROW  FROM  SEED,  HYBRIDIZING, 


ALL  OTHER  INFORMATION  NECESSARY  TO  ENABLE  EVERYBODY  TO  RAISE 
ITHEIR  OWN  STRAWBERRIES;  TOGETHER  WITH  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  NEW 

VARIETIES  AND  A  LIST  OF  THE  BEST  OF  THE  OLD  SORTS. 


FULLY    ILLUSTRATED. 

BY  ANDBEW  S.  FULLER 

latter  of  &*  "Grape  (Mturist^  "Smalt  Fruit  €toto*W  " 


NEW  YORK: 
ORANGE    JUDD    COMPANY, 

»>2  AND   54  LAFAYETTE  PLACE, 

1911 


(\  \ 


Sintered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  tne  year  1887,  by  thf 

u.  TUDD  CO, 
fotfce  Ofcce  ot  tike  librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washfrgton. 


PRIXTED   ix    U.   S.   A. 


SB  3£5 

FT 
IW 


PBEFACE. 

It  is  now  twenty-five  years  since  I  wrote  the  first 
edition  of  the  STRAWBERRY  CULTURIST.  At  that  time 
but  little  attention  had  been  paid  to  the  cultivation  of 
this  best  of  all  berries,  and,  with  the  exception  of  an  oc- 
casional basket  or  crate  of  the  Hovey  and  Wilson,  New 
York  markets  were  mostly  supplied  with  the  little  Crim- 
son Cone  and  Scotch  Runner  raised  in  New  Jersey. 

From  time  to  time  new  varieties  had  been  intro- 
duced at  home  and  from  abroad,  and  by  copying  all  the 
names  found  in  both  European  and  American  nursery- 
men's catalogues,  1  was  enabled  to  make  a  list  of  nearly 
five  hundred  varieties,  of  which  only  a  few  survive. 
Among  these  may  be  named  the  Hovey,  Wilson,  Triom- 
phe  de  Gand,  Leimig's  White,  Downer's  Prolific  and  the 
Monthly  Alpines,  but,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  these 
are  very  sparingly  cultivated.  The  others  have  been  dis- 
carded for  inferiority  of  size  or  flavor,  lack  of  produc- 
tiveness, want  of  adaptability  to  a  wide  range  of  climate 
and  soils,  or  for  other  good  and  sufficient  reasons,  and 
their  places  have  been  filled  by  varieties  supposed  to  be 
better,  and  in  such  numbers  as  to  confuse  seekers  after 
the  best.  But  which  is  or  are  the  best  of  all  the  varieties 
known  would  be  a  difficult  question  to  answer  ;  for  the 
one  that  gives  entire  satisfaction  in  one  section  often 
proves  a  failure  in  another,  and  only  experiments  or 
close  observation  will  teach  one  how  to  choose.  Much 
credit  is  certainly  due  to  those  who  have  aided  in  pro- 
ducing new  varieties,  but  the  perfect  Strawberry,  equally 


ft  PREFACE'. 

well  adapted  to  all  kinds  of  soils  and  climates  has  not  as 
yet  appeared  in  cultivation. 

During  the  last  quarter  of  a  century  botanists  have 
somewhat  changed  their  ideas  in  regard  to  the  number 
and  distribution  of  the  species  of  the  Strawberry,  and 
while  this  may  be  of  no  especial  importance  to  the  prac= 
tical  cultivator  of  this  fruit,  still  I  have  arranged  the 
species  to  conform  to  the  more  recent  discoveries  of  our 
botanists. 

As  regards  the  culture  of  the  Strawberry  I  find  little 
to  change  and  less  to  add.  In  writing  the  STRAWBERRY 
CULTURIST  (my  first  attempt  at  book  making)  I  aimed 
to  give  the  public  the  result  of  my  practical  experience 
in  plain  words.  I  have  since  that  time  experimented 
largely,  but  have  learned  nothing  that  induces  me  to 
change  materially  the  directions  therein  given. 

This  little  treatise  has  been  re-written  to  supply  a 
want  of  the  present  generation,  and,  with  the  hope  that 
jt  will  serve  as  did  its  predecessor  to  stimulate  its  readers 
in  renewed  efforts  to  produce  the  best  of  Berries  and  in 
the  greatest  abundance,  I  send  it  forth  on  its  humble 
mission. 

ANDREW  S.  FULLER. 

KIDGEWOOD,  N.  J.,  Jan.,  1887. 


THE  STRAWBERRY  CULTURIST. 


THE  STRAWBERRY. 

A  genus  of  low  perennial  stemless  herbs  with  run- 
ners, and  leaves  divided  into  three  leaflets  ;  calyx  open 
and  flat ;  petals  five,  white  ;  stamens  ten  to  twenty, 
sometimes  more  ;  pistils  numerous,  crowded  upon  a  cone- 
like  head  in  the  center  of  the  flower.  Seeds  naked  on 
the  surface  of  an  enlarged  pulpy  receptacle  called  the 
fruit. 

The  Strawberry  belongs  to  the  great  Eose  family,  and 
the  name  of  the  genus  is  Fragaria,  from  the  Latin  Fraga, 
its  ancient  name.  The  French  name  of  the  strawberry 
is  Fraisier ;  German,  Erdbeerpflanze ;  Italian,  Planta 
di  fragola ;  Dutch,  Aadbezie ;  Spanish,  Freza.  The 
South  American  Spaniards  call  the  wild  Strawberries  of 
the  country,  Frutila. 

The  well-known  unstable  character  of  the  species 
makes  it  rather  difficult  to  determine  the  limit  of  varia- 
tion, but  the  following  classification  is  in  accord  with 
the  experience  of  practical  cultivators  of  the  Strawberry 
as  well  as  with  the  more  recent  arrangement  of  the  spe- 
cies in  botanical  works. 

Fragaria  vesca. — The  common  wild  Strawberry  of 
Europe,  including  both  the  White  and  Red  Wood,  also 
the  annual  and  Monthly  Alpine  Strawberries.  Of  the 
latter  there  are  varieties  with  both  white  and  red  fruit, 


6  THE   STRAWBERRY   CULTURIST. 

growing  in  stools  or  clumps  producing  no  runners,  o? 
Tery  sparingly.  This  species  is  also  indigenous  to  North 
America  and  found  plentifully  in  our  more  northern 
States,  and  westward  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where  it 
grows  in  the  more  elevated  and  cooler  regions.  The 
plants  are  slender,  with  tnin,  often  pale-green  leaflets ; 
fruit  small,  oval,  oblong,  or  sharp  pointed  ;  seeds  quite 
prominent,  never  depressed. 

Fragaria  Californica. — A  low-growing  species 
closely  allied  to  the  F.  vesca,  but  thought  to  be  specifi- 
cally distinct  by  some  botanists.  The  entire  plant  cov- 
ered with  spreading  hairs ;  leaves  rather  thin,  wedge- 
shape  and  broadest  at  the  tip.  Flowers,  small  white  ; 
calyx  shorter  than  the  petals,  and  often  toothed  or  cleft ; 
fruit  small,  and  seed  as  in  vesca.  On  the  hills  and  moun- 
tains of  California  and  in  northern  Mexico.  There  are 
no  varieties  of  this  species  in  cultivation. 

Fragaria  Yirginiana. — The  Wild  Strawberry  of 
the  United  States  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Plant, 
with  few  or  numerous  scattering  hairs  ;  upper  surface 
of  leaves  often  very  dark  green  and  shining,  also  very 
large,  thick,  coarsely  toothed.  Flowers,  white,  in  clusters 
on  erect  scapes.  Fruit  red  or  scarlet,  often  with  long 
neck  ;  seeds  in  shallow  or  deep  pits  on  the  surface  of  the 
receptacle.  This  species  is  the  parent  of  an  immense 
number  of  varieties,  like  the  Wilson,  Boston  Pine,  Early 
Scarlet,  &c. 

Variety. — Illinoensis  is  found  in  the  rich  soils  of  the 
Western  States  and  is  a  larger  and  coarser  growing 
plant,  more  villous  or  hairy  than  the  species,  and  the 
fruit  is  usually  of  a  lighter  color.  Some  of  the  most 
popular  varieties  ir,  cultivation  are  descended  from  this 
indigenous  western  variety,  such  as  the  Charles  Downing, 
Downer's  Prolific,  &c. 


THE  STRAWBERRY.  7 

Fragaria  Chiliensis. — A  widely  distributed  species, 
especially  on  the  west  coast  of  America,  where  it  is  found 
from  Alaska  on  the  north,  southward  to  California,  and 
thence  to  Chili  and  other  countries  in  South  America. 
It  is  usually  a  low-growing,  spreading  plant  with  large 
thick  cuneate,  obovate  leaflets,  smooth  and  shining 
above ;  with  silky  appressed  hairs  underneath.  Fruit 
stalks  very  stout ;  flowers  white,  large,  often  more  than 
an  inch  in  diameter  and  with  five  to  seven  petals.  For- 
merly these  large  flowered  varieties  from  South  America 
were  supposed  to  belong  to  a  distinct  species — the  F. 
grandiflora,  or  Great-Flowering  Strawberry ;  but  more 
recent  investigation  has  shown  that  all  belong  to  the  one 
species,  viz.,  F.  Chiliensis.  This  species  is  the  parent 
of  the  most  noted  European  varieties,  some  of  which  have 
long  been  cultivated  in  this  country,  but  the  varieties  of 
the  Virginian  and  Chili  Strawberry  have  become  so  in- 
termingled by  crossing  that  it  is  now  scarcely  possible 
to  trace  their  parentage. 

Fragaria  Indica. — A  small  species  from  Upper  In- 
dia, with  yellow  flowers,  and  small  red,  rather  tasteless 
fruit.  Often  cultivated  as  a  curiosity  and  ornament,  as 
the  plants  bear  continuously  through  the  summer  and 
autumn. 

Fragaria  elatior. — Hautbois  or  High  wood  Straw- 
berry. Indigenous  to  Europe,  principally  in  Germany. 
Plants  tall  growing ;  fruit  usually  elevated  above  the 
leaves,  and  the  calyx  strongly  reflexed ;  petals  small, 
white;  fruit  brownish,  pale  red,  sometimes  greenish, 
with  a  strong  musky,  and,  to  most  persons,  a  disagree* 
able  flavor.  Only  sparingly  cultivated.  The  plants  are 
inclined  to  be  dioecious,  i.  e.9  the  two  sexes  on  different 
plants,  even  in  their  wild  state. 


8  THE  STEAWBEERY  CULTUEIST. 

HISTOET  OF  THE   STEAWBEREY. 

How  the  name  of  Strawberry  came  to  be  applied  to 
this  fruit  is  unknown,  as  the  old  authors  do  not  agree  ; 
some  asserting  that  it  was  given  it  because  children  used 
to  string  them  upon  straws  to  sell,  while  others  say  that 
it  took  its  name  from  the  fact  of  straw  being  placed 
around  the  plants  in  order  to  keep  the  fruit  clean.  Its 
name  may  not  have  been  derived  from  either  of  these, 
but  from  the  appearance  of  the  plant ;  for  when  the 
ground  is  covered  with  its  runners,  they  certainly  have 
much  of  the  appearance  of  straw  being  spread  over  the 
ground.  We  have  found  nothing  conclusive  on  this 
point. 

The  Strawberry  does  not  appear  to  have  been  culti- 
vated by  the  ancients,  or  even  by  the  Romans,  for  it  is 
scarcely  mentioned  by  any  of  their  writers,  and  then  not 
in  connection  with  the  cultivated  fruits  or  vegetables. 
Virgil  mentions  it  only  when  warning  the  shepherds 
against  the  concealed  adder  when  seeking  flowers  and 
Strawberries. 

"  Ye  boys  that  gather  flowers  and  strawberries, 
Lo,  hid  within  the  grass  a  serpent  lies." 

Several  other  ancient  authors  mention  the  Strawberry, 
but  all  refer  to  it  as  a  wild  fruit,  not  cultivated  in  gar- 
dens ;  but  there  do  not  appear  to  have  been  any  im- 
proved varieties  in  cultivation  until  within  about  one 
hundred  years,  although  the  wild  plants  were  transferred 
to  gardens  only  in  the  fifteenth  century,  as  we  learn 
from  works  published  at  that  time. 

Casper  Bauhin,  in  his  "  Pinax,"  published  in  1623, 
mentions  but  five  varieties.  Gerarde,  in  1597,  enumer- 
ates but  three — the  white,  red,  and  green  fruited. 

Parkinson,  in  1656,  describes  the  Virginian  and 
Bohemian,  besides  those  mentioned  by  Gerarde.  Quin- 


HISTORY   OF  THE  STRAWBERRY.  9 

fcinie,  in  his  "  French  Gardener/'  translated  by  Evelyn 
in  1672,  mentions  four  varieties,  and  gives  similar  direo- 
tions  for  cultivation  as  practised  at  the  present  time, 
viz.,  planting  in  August,  removing  all  the  runners  as 
they  appear,  and  renewing  the  beds  every  four  years. 

Only  four  or  five  varieties  are  mentioned  by  any  of 
the  writers  on  gardening  earlier  than  about  150  years 
ago. 

The  Fressant  Strawberry,  mentioned  by  Quintinie, 
was  the  first  seedling  we  find  mentioned,  and  it  was 
claimed  to  be  superior  to  its  parent,  the  wild  Wood  or 
Alpine  Strawberry  of  Europe. 

The  Hautbois  was  -long  supposed  to  be  indigenous 
to  America,  and  both  Parkinson  and  Miller  state  that  it 
came  from  this  country,  and  the  former,  in  his  "  Paradi- 
sus  Terrestris,"  1629,  says  that  the  Hautbois  had  been 
with  them  only  of  late  days,  having  been  brought  over 
from  America.  It  is  now  known,  however,  that  this 
species  is  a  native  of  Germany,  where  it  is  called  the 
"  Haarbeer." 

The  Chili  Strawberry  was  formerly  supposed  to  have 
been  introduced  into  South  America  by  the  Spaniards 
from  Mexico;  and  while  plants  may  have  been  intro- 
duced as  stated,  still,  botanists  assure  us  that  the  same 
species  is  indigenous  to  both  countries.  This  species 
was  introduced  into  France  by  a  traveler  named  Frazier, 
in  1716,  but  whether  by  seeds  or  living  plants  is  not 
known.  Philip  Miller  introduced  the  Chili  Strawberry 
into  England  in  1729,  but  he  says  it  was  so  unproduc- 
tive that  he  finally  discarded  it.  He  also  refers  to  the 
irregular  shape  of  the  fruit,  a  characteristic  of  many  of 
the  varieties  of  this  species  in  cultivation  at  this  time. 
The  varieties  of  the  Chili  Strawberry  are  usually 
larger  and  milder  in  flavor  than  those  of  the  Virginia 


10  THE   STRAWBEEBY   CULTURIST. 

Strawberry,  but  the  plants  are  rarely  as  hardy  or  succeed 
as  well,  in  our  Northern  States,  except  in  sheltered  situ- 
ations. In  Europe,  however,  the  varieties  of  the  Chilian 
Strawberry  have  long  been  preferred  to  those  of  the  Vir- 
ginian, probably  on  account  of  their  large  size  and  mild 
Savor,  as  most  of  our  American  varieties  require  a  high 
temperature  to  develop  their  saccharine  properties. 

No  improvement  was  made  in  the  Strawberry  by 
European  gardeners  until  the  introduction  of  the 
American  species,  but  it  was  not  until  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century  that  practical  experiments  were 
made  in  England  for  improving  this  fruit.  In  1810 
Mr.  N.  Davidson  raised  a  new  variety,  which  was  named 
the  Roseberry.  T.  A.  Knight  raised  the  Downton  in 
1816  ;  Atkinson,  the  Grove  End  Scarlet  in  1820 ;  and 
in  1824  Keen's  Seedling  appeared.  Knight  raised  the 
Elton  in  1820.  During  the  twenty  years  from  1810  down 
to  1830  not  more  -than  a  half  dozen  improved  varieties 
were  produced  in  England,  but  Myatt  soon  followed 
with  his  British  Queen,  which  remained  the  leading 
variety  of  that  country  for  almost  a  half  century. 

The  French,  German,  Belgian,  and  other  continental 
gardeners  soon  entered  the  field,  and  now  the  Strawberry 
has  become  one  of  the  most  popular  fruits  throughout 
Europe  as  well  as  in  America. 

Although  we  possessed  the  materials  from  which  we 
could  have  readily  produced  new  and  improved  varieties 
of  the  Strawberry,  adapted  to  our  soil  and  climate,  very 
little  was  attempted  in  this  direction  until  long  after 
the  Strawberry  had  become  popular  in  Europe,  and  even 
when  it  began  to  attract  attention  in  this  country,  our 
fruit  growers  were  content  to  import  varieties  from 
abroad  instead  of  attempting  to  raise  new  and  mor* 
valuable  ones  at  home. 


SEXUALITY  OF  THE  STBAWBEBBY.        11 

The  introduction  of  the  Hovey  in  1834  proved  that  it 
was  possible  to  raise  large  and  productive  varieties  of 
the  indigenous  species,  and  while  a  few  cultivators  may 
be  said  to  have  taken  the  hint,  or  avail  themselves  of 
this  discovery,  the  larger  majority  continued  to  import 
varieties  of  the  Chili  Strawberry  only  to  be  sadly  disap- 
pointed with  the  result,  for,  with  few  exceptions,  these 
are  of  little  value  for  cultivating  in  this  country. 

SEXUALITY   OF  THE   STBAWBERBY. 

As  the  Strawberry  belongs  to  the  Rose  Family,  its 
flowers  should  in  their  natural  state  contain  both 
stamens  and  pistils,  and  they  usually  do,  and  the  flowers 
are  said  to  be  perfect  or  bi-sexual.  But  when  plants  are 
taken  from  their  native  habitats  and  placed  under  cul- 
tivation, they  often  assume  forms  quite  different  from 
their  natural  ones.  Sometimes  a  particular  organ  is 
suppressed,  while  others  are  enlarged,  and  thus  we  pro- 
duce deformities  and  monstrosities  among  almost  every 
family  of  cultivated  Dlants. 


Fig.  1.— CROSS  SECTION, 

The  effects  of  stimulation  or  starvation,  exposure  and 
protection  are  different  upon  different  species  of  plants. 
The  effect  of  stimulation,  through  cultivation,  upon  the 
Rose  proper  appears  to  have  forced  the  stamens  to  en- 
large and  become  petals  circling  inward,  and  smother- 


1  THE   STRAWBERRY   CULTURIST. 

ing  the  pistils,  which  are  attached  to  the  inside  of  the 
rose-like  receptacle.  But  in  the  Strawberry  the  receptacle 
is  the  reverse  of  that  of  the  rose,  being 
conical  as  shown  in  an  enlarged  cross- 
section  of  a  flower,  Fig.  1. 

Every  so-called  seed  of  the  Straw- 
berry has  one  style  attached  to  it; 
consequently,  it  is  a  very  important 
organ,  inasmuch  as  it  is  through  this 
organ  that  the  influence  of  the  pollen 
reaches  the  ovule  or  seed  vessel.  The 
stamens  are  situated  on  the  calyx,  and 
they  may  be  artifically  removed  or  sup- 
pressed by  nature,  in  which  case  we 
Fig.  2.— PISTIL-  WQuld  }iaye  what  ig  called  a  pistillate 

LATE  FLOWER.  -,  •    -,         •-,,  -,  „       .,      .„    ,-, 

USUAL  SIZE        flower,  which  will  produce  fruit,  if  the 
pistils  are  fertilized  from  another  flower. 
It  is  not  important  whether  a  flower  produces  its  own 
pollen  or  is  supplied  from  some  other  source. 


Kg.  3.— PISTILLATE  FLOWER,  ENLARGED, 


SEXUALITY   OF  THE  STEAWBEERY.  13 

From  some  unknown  cause  the  F.  Virginiana  and 
the  F.  elatior  or  Hautbois  Strawberry  of  Europe  occa- 
sionally give  varieties 
in  which  the  stamens 
or  male  organs  are  un- 
developed or  entirely 
wanting,  and  these  uni- 
sexual plants  have  long 
been  known  as  pistil- 
lates;  the  Hovey  Straw- 
berry being  one  of  the 
first  to  attract  special 
attention  in  this  coun- 
try. Fig.  2  represents 
pistillate  flower  of  the 

Fig.  4.-PERFECT  FLOWBR.  ^^  ^  and  in  Fig>  3 

the  same  enlarged.  By  comparing  these  with  Fig.  4,  9 
perfect  flower,  and  the  same  enlarged  in  Fig.  5,  the 
difference  may  readily  be  seen. 


Fig.  5.— iEBFKCT  FLOWER,   ENLARGED. 


14  THE   STRAWBERRY   CULTUEIST. 

These  abnormal  or  pistillate  varieties  are  likely  to  oc- 
cur among  the  seedlings  of  any  of  the  improved  or  cul- 
tivated varieties,  and  they  are  occasionally  preserved  and 
multiplied,  although  in  no  instance  that  has  come  under 
my  observation  have  they  proved  to  be  superior  to  other 
varieties  with  perfect  flowers.  That  they  are  often  pre- 
served and  propagated  must  be  considered  more  as  a 
matter  of  personal  pride  or  opinion  on  the  part  of  the 
originator,  than  a  necessity  or  advantage  to  fruit  growers 
in  general.  But  so  long  as  such  imperfect  varieties  are 
disseminated,  they  must  be  recognized,  if  for  no  other 
purpose  than  to  place  the  inexperienced  propagator  on 
his  guard  against  planting  them  alone,  expecting  to  ob- 
tain a  crop  of  fruit.  At  one  time  it  was  supposed  or 
claimed  that  these  pistillate  varieties  were,  and  would 
ever  remain,  totally  barren  unless  fertilized  by  pollen 
from  some  perfect  flowered  sort,  but  as  the  stamens  in 
the  pistillate  varieties  are  merely  suppressed  organs,  it  is 
not  at  all  rare  to  find  an  occasional  one  fully  developed 
and  producing  pollen.  Where  this  occurs,  and  it  is 
frequent  in  such  varieties  as  the  Manchester,  a  moder- 
ate crop  of  fruit  will  be  produced  where  no  pollen  can 
reach  the  flowers  from  any  other  source.  But  these 
partly  undeveloped  stamens  cannot  be  depended  upon 
for  supplying  the  necessary  amount  of  pollen,  and  where 
varieties  designated  as  pistillates  are  cultivated,  a  perfect 
flowered  one  should  be  grown  near  by,  or  even  the  plants 
intermingled  in  the  same  bed  or  row.  In  cultivating  a 
pistillate  variety  a  person  must  set  out  a  perfect  flower- 
ed one  near  by,  in  order  to  obtain  a  crop  of  fruit  from 
the  imperfect ;  or,  in  other  words,  he  must  plant  two 
varieties  to  be  certain  of  obtaining  fruit  from  the  one. 
There  might  be  some  excuse  for  this  doubling  up  if  the 
pistillates  were  in  any  way  superior  to  the  best  of  the  bi- 


SEXUALITY  OF  THE   STEAWBEEEY.  15 

sexual  or  perfect  flowered  varieties,  but  as  they  are  not, 
I  fail  to  see  the  economy  or  advantage  of  cultivating 
pistillates  at  all. 

When  writing  the  first  edition  of  this  work,  a  quarter 
of  a  century  ago,  I  had  occasion  to  refer  to  the  assertion 
of  certain  cultivators,  who  claimed  that  the  pistillate 
varieties  when  properly  fertilized  were  more  productive 
than  those  bearing  perfect  or  bisexual  flowers,  but  facts 
to  substantiate  the  claim  were  then  wanting,  and  they 
certainly  have  not  appeared  since,  and  it  is  very  doubt- 
ful if  any  one  cultivating  the  Strawberry  extensively 
Would  knowingly  select  a  pistillate  in  preference  to  a  bi- 
sexual variety,  provided  both  were  otherwise  of  equal 
value. 

The  best  pistillate  varieties  in  cultivation  may  be 
fully  equal  in  every  respect  to  the  best  bisexual  or  stam- 
inates,  as  they  are  often  termed,  but  what  I  claim  is 
that  they  are  no  better,  besides  being  objectionable  be- 
cause they  must  be  fertilized  by  pollen  from  some  other 
source  than  their  own  flowers  in  order  to  bear  a  crop  of 
fruit.  This  defect  in  the  flowers  of  the  pistillate 
varieties  makes  them  worthless  for  cultivating  alone  in 
field  or  garden,  for,  in  order  to  secure  a  crop  of  fruit,  a 
pollen-bearing  variety  must  be  cultivated  near  by,  and 
there  is  always  more  or  less  danger  of  the  plants  inter- 
mingling, and  it  can  only  be  prevented  by  care  and  at- 
tention, while  the  runners  are  growing  rapidly  in  sum- 
mer. There  is,  however,  no  real  danger  of  the  plants 
of  different  varieties  intermingling,  if  they  are  placed  in 
adjoining  beds  or  rows,  and  the  paths  between  kept  free 
from  runners;  but  cultivators  of  the  strawberry  are  often 
negligent  in  such  matters  and  mixing  of  varieties  is  the 
result. 


16  THE  STRAWBERRY  CULTURISX. 


I3TFLITENCB  OF  POLLEN. 

If  the  small  central  organs  or  pistils  of  a  Strawberry 
flower  are  not  fertilized  by  pollen  from  its  own  stamens 
or  that  from  some  other  plant,  they  soon  die  away  and 
no  fleshy  receptacle  or  fruit  is  produced.  This  pollen 
is  an  impalpable  dust-like  powder  and  yet  so  important 
that  the  production  of  the  Strawberry  is  dependent  upon 
its  presence  and  potency.  There  must  be  not  only  an 
abundance  of  pollen,  but  it  must  be  supplied  by  some 
closely  allied  species  or  variety  of  the  Strawberry,  to  be 
available.  Pollen  from  the  wild  or  uncultivated  Alpines 
or  the  Hautbois  Strawberries  will  not  fertilize  the  pistils 
of  the  varieties  of  either  the  Virginia  or  Chili  Straw- 
berry,  neither  will  the  pollen  of  the  latter  two  species  fer- 
tilize the  pistils  of  the  former.  But  the  Virginia  and 
Chili  Strawberries  are  so  closely  allied  that  they  readily 
hybridize  ;  consequently,  varieties  of  either  may  be  em- 
ployed as  the  male  or  pollen-bearing  for  pistillate  varie- 
ties, provided,  of  course,  that  they  bloom  at  the  same 
time,  that  is,  the  plants  that  are  to  yield  the  pollen  and 
those  to  receive  it  must  bloom  together. 

There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  potency  of  the  pol- 
len of  the  different  varieties  of  plants  of  the  same  spe- 
cies, and  it  is  not  at  all  rare  to  find  bisexual  plants  the 
pollen  of  which  will  not  fertilize  their  own  ovaries,  while 
it  is  perfectly  potent  when  applied  to  the  stigmas  of 
another  plant  of  the  same  species.  Thus  one  variety  of 
the  Strawberry  may,  in  appearance,  have  perfect  flowers, 
and  in  the  greatest  abundance,  and  both  stamens  and 
pistils  be  fully  developed,  and  still  ninety  per  cent,  or 
even  more  of  the  flowers  wiH  fail  to  produce  fruit.  In 
such  instances  of  non-productiveness  we  may  be  quite 
tertaiu  that  there  is  something  wrong  in  the  sexual  or- 


INFLUENCE   OF   POLLEN.  17 

gans,  but  it  may  be  very  difficult  or  impossible  to  deter« 
mine  what  it  is. 

At  a  very  extensive  exhibition  of  Strawberries  held  at 
the  American  Agriculturist  office, N.  Y.,  on  June  18th, 
19th  and  20th,  1863,  I  was  awarded,  among  other  prizes, 
the  one  offered  for  the  "best  flavored  variety/'  This 
was  one  of  the  many  unnamed  seedlings  then  growing 
in  my  grounds,  and,  although  a  fine  fruit  in  appearance 
and  flavor,  it  was  utterly  worthless  owing  to  the  unpro- 
ductiveness of  the  plants,  and  for  this  reason  it  was  never 
distributed.  The  plants  were  hardy,  blossomed  freely, 
and  to  all  outward  appearance  the  flowers  were  perfect ; 
still  neither  their  own  pollen  or  that  from  other  varieties 
would  fertilize  the  pistils  except  in  rare  instances. 
Every  one  who  has  attempted  to  raise  new  varieties  of 
the  Strawberry  must  have  had  a  similar  experience,  some 
being  very  productive  and  others  almost  barren,  and  yet 
their  sexual  organs  may  have  appeared  to  be  perfect. 
With  a  large  majority  of  the  bisexual  or  perfect  flowered 
varieties  self-fertilization  is  the  rule,  but  occasionally  a 
little  outside  aid  in  supplying  pollen  may  be  beneficial, 
and  in  instances  of  this  kind  the  raising  of  several  varie- 
ties in  close  proximity  will  largely  increase  the  yield  of 
fruit. 

The  pistils  of  each  flower  must  be  supplied  with  a 
certain  amount  of  pollen  from  some  source,  else  no  fruit 
will  be  produced.  If  only  a  part  of  the  pistils  are  fer- 
tilized, a  deformed  fruit  will  be  the  result,  because  the 
enlarging  of  the  receptacle  is  for  the  sole  purpose  of  sup- 
porting the  seeds  resting  upon  its  surface;  therefore,  we 
may  say,  no  seeds,  no  fruit.  It  has  been  claimed  by  many 
Vegetable  physiologists  that  the  influence  of  the  pollen 
reaches  no  further  than  the  seed,  but  upon  a  close  in- 
spection of  the  flower  of  a  Strawberry  we  find  that  the 


18  THE  STRAWBERRY  CULTUKIST. 

receptacle,  embryo  seed  and  all  other  parts  are  formed 
and  in  progress  towards  perfection  before  any  pollen  is 
seen,  and  yet,  if  the  latter  fails  to  do  its  work,  or  is  im- 
potent, the  entire  structure  decays,  and  even  the  fruit 
stems  and  their  appendages  wither  away.  In  conduct- 
ing some  of  my  earlier  experiments  with  the  Strawberry,, 
I  noticed  that  the  influence  of  the  pollen  did  extend  be= 
yond  the  seed,  for  it  not  only  caused  the  receptacle  to 
enlarge  and  reach  maturity  but  often  changed  its  form 
and  flavor.  This  was  most  readily  observed  when  em- 
ploying different  staminate  or  perfect  flowered  varieties 
for  supplying  pollen  to  the  pistillates.  But  as  in  all 
similar  experiments  in  the  fertilization  of  the  ovaries, 
the  results  were  not  uniform,  showing  that  the  female 
plant  often  exercises  such  a  powerful  influence  over  its 
own  seed  and  seed-vessels  as  to  effectually  obscure  that 
of  the  pollen-bearing  or  male  plant.  It  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed, however,  that  because  an  effect  is  not  prominently 
apparent  that  it  does  not  exist. 

In  the  first  edition  of  "  The  Small  Fruit  Culturist," 
1867,  I  casually  referred  to  this  subject  of  the  influence 
of  the  pollen  upon  the  character  of  the  fruit,  for  I  had 
previously  discovered  that  in  raising  the  pistillate  varie- 
ties, the  staminate  employed  for  supplying  their  flowers 
with  pollen  had  more  or  less  influence  on  the  size  and 
form  of  the  fruit  of  the  former.  It  is  probably  unneces- 
sary to  state  that  this  has  been  denied  by  many  cultiva- 
tors of  the  Strawberry  up  to  the  present  time,  while 
others  who  have  carefully  experimented  for  the  purpose 
of  determining  the  truth,  admit  that  the  influence  of 
the  pollen  does  reach  beyond  the  seed  and  is  often  read- 
ily seen  in  the  changed  form  of  the  f ruit.  But  as  I  have 
discussed  this  subject  quite  fully  in  another  work,*  it  is 
*Propagation  of  Plants. 


STBUCTUKE  OF  THE  PLANTS.  19 

only  necessary  to  say  here  that  in  cultivating  pistillate 
varieties  of  the  Strawberry,  it  is  better  to  select  a  large 
and  good  flavored  one  to  supply  it  with  pollen  than  one 
that  is  small  and  of  inferior  quality. 

STKUCTUKE  OF  THE   PLANTS. 

If  we  closely  examine  the  varieties  of  any  one  species 
of  the  Strawberry,  we  find  that  they  resemble  each  other 
in  their  general  habits  or  manner  of  growth.  No  one 
at  all  familiar  with  these  plants  would  ever  mistake  an 
Alpine  Strawberry  for  one  of  any  other  of  the  well-known 
species,  and  even  the  Hautbois  Strawberry,  which,  in 
some  respects,  resembles  the  Alpines,  is  sufficiently  dis- 
tinct to  be  easily  recognized.  There  are  varieties  of  the 
"Wood  or  Alpine  species  that  produce  no  runners,  grow- 
ing in  clumps  or  stools  ;  still  the  foliage  plainly  showa 
their  origin,  and,  as  we  have  no  hybrids  between  the  Al- 
pines and  other  species,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  recogniz- 
ing them  wherever  found.  But  with  the  North  and 
South  American  species  or  Virginian  and  Chilian  Straw- 
berries the  line  of  demarcation  is  not  so  easily  deter- 
mined as  formerly,  because  they  hybridize  so  readily  that 
their  specific  characteristics  have  become  almost  obliter- 
ated in  the  cultivated  varieties. 

The  Chili  Strawberry  in  its  wild  state  produces  larger 
and  milder  flavored  fruit  than  our  common  American  or 
Virginia  Strawberry,  and  probably  for  this  reason  it  has 
been  a  favorite  with  the  cultivators  of  the  Strawberry  in 
Europe,  and  nearly  all  of  the  noted  varieties  raised 
abroad  are  of  this  species.  This  is  why  so  few  of  the 
European  varieties,  as  they  are  termed,  succeed  in  this 
country,  having  descended  from  a  semi-tropical  species. 
But  in  recent  years  the  European  and  native  sorts  have 
been  crossed  and  so  thoroughly  intermingled  that  it  is 


20  THE  STEAWBEEEY  CULTUEIST. 


6.— VIRGINIA  STRAWBERRY. 


STRUCTURE  OF  THE  PLANTS. 


Fig.  7.— CHILI  STRAWBERRY. 


22  THE  STRAWBERRY  CULTUHIST. 

only  occasionally  that  we  can  detect  the  peculiar  and  dig- 
tinct  characteristics  of  either  species  in  the  common  cul- 
tivated varieties. 

In  the  old  Triomphe  de  Gand  Strawberry  we  have  a 
pure  descendant  of  the  Chilian  species,  and  in  the  Wil- 
son's Albany  and  Charles  Downing,  pure  native  blood. 
The  Wilson  may  be  considered  as  a  large  representative  of 
the  Wild  Strawberry  of  the  Eastern  States,  and  the  Down- 
ing of  the  Western  or  of  F.  Virginiana  var.  Illinoensis. 
The  varieties  of  our  native  species  usually  have  long 
thread-like  or  wiry  roots,  which  penetrate  the  soil  deeply 
and  spread  widely  in  search  of  nutriment  and  moisture, 
while  the  roots  of  the  pure  Chilian  varieties  appear  to  be 
more  fleshy,  shorter  and  not  so  hard  and  firm. 

Another  peculiarity  in  the  form  and  structure  may 
be  observed  by  an  examination  of  the  old  and  mature 
plants.  In  our  native  varieties,  like  the  Downing  and 
Boston  Pine,  they  appear  to  remain  low  down  in  the  soil 
— not  inclined  to  push  above  the  surface — dividing  nat- 
urally, as  shown  in  Fig.  6,  while  the  Chilian  varieties  as- 
sume the  form  shown  in  Fig.  7,  which  is  an  exact  represen- 
tation— half  natural  size — of  a  three  year  old  plant  of  the 
Triomphe  de  Gand.  It  will  be  observed,  by  examining 
the  illustration,  that  all  of  the  crowns  are  united  to  the 
main  or  central  one,  with  little  inclination  to  separate 
from  it.  These  elevated  crowns  contain  the  embryo 
fruit-buds,  and  the  more  they  extend  above  the  surface 
of  the  soil  the  more  likely  they  are  to  be  injured  by  the 
frosts  of  winter. 

Varieties  of  this  form  of  root  or  crown  soon  extend  so 
far  above  the  surface  that  their  new  roots  cannot,  or  at 
least  do  not,  take  a  firm  hold  of  the  soil  in  sufficient  num- 
bers to  supply  the  plant  with  nutriment. 

There  are  many  excellent  varieties  in  cultivation  that 


PROPAGATION.  23 

are  inclined  to  assume  this  form  of  growth,  and  they  re- 
quire somewhat  different  treatment  from  those  with 
shorter  and  low-spreading  crowns,  as  shown  in  Fig.  6. 
When  the  latter  are  cultivated  in  hills  or  single  rows,  the 
soil  may  be  drawn  up  against  the  plants  as  their  crowns 
protrude  above  the  surface,  covering  the  new  lateral 
rcats,  thereby  increasing  the  vigor  and  prolonging  the 
life  of  the  plants. 

PROPAGATION. 

The  three  most  common  modes  of  propagation  of  the 
Strawberry  are,  viz.,  by  seeds,  runners  and  divisions  of 
the  crowns  or  stools.  The  first  mode,  or  by  seeds,  is 
practiced  mostly  for  the  purpose  of  producing  new 
varieties,  but  the  wild  plants  of  all  the  species  reproduce 
themselves  from  seed  with  very  slight  variations,  and  it 
is  only  from  the  already  improved  varieties  that  we  can 
expect  to  raise  new  ones  of  any  considerable  value.  If, 
however,  we  fertilize  the  pistils  of  a  wild  plant  with  pol- 
len from  an  improved  one,  we  stand  a  fair  chance  of  ob- 
taining seedlings  showing  an  advance  upon  the  wild  or 
parent  plant.  However,  unless  there  is  some  special 
object  in  view — such  as  extreme  hardiness,  or  the 
adaptation  of  a  variety  to  a  certain  soil  or  situation — it  is 
better  to  save  seed  from  the  improved  sorts  than  to  go 
back  or  resort  to  the  primitive  or  wild  species  for  a 
supply. 

To  obtain  seed  it  is  only  necessary  to  select  the  ripe 
berries,  and  either  crush  the  pulp  and  spread  it  out  and 
dry  it  with  the  seeds,  thus  preserving  both,  or  the  fruit 
may  be  crushed  and  the  seeds  washed  out.  The  sound 
good  seeds  will  fall  to  the  bottom,  and  the  pulp  and 
false  ones  remain  on  the  surface,  from  which  both  may 
be  readily  removed.  I  have  found  seed  preserved  in  th« 


84  THE  STEAWBEEEY  CULTUEIST. 

dried  pulp  of  the  Strawberry  remain  sound  and  good  f  01 
several  years,  and,  if  it  is  to  be  kept  for  any  considerable 
time,  I  should  much  prefer  to  have  it  preserved  in  the 
pulp  than  to  have  it  removed  or  washed  out,  but  the 
berries  should  be  thoroughly  dried  and  then  put  away 
in  paper  bags  as  usually  practised  with  clean  seeds.  I 
have  received  dried  Strawberries  from  Europe  that  were 
several  years  old,  the  seeds  of  which,  when  soaked  and 
washed  out,  sprouted  almost  as  readily  as  fresh  ones. 

My  usual  practice  in  raising  seedling  Strawberries  has 
been  to  gather  the  largest  and  best  berries,  then  mix 
them  with  dry  sand,  crushing  the  pulp  between  the 
hands  and  so  thoroughly  manipulating  the  mass  that  no 
two  seeds  will  remain  together.  Then  set  away  the  box 
containing  the  sand  and  seed  in  some  cool  place  until 
the  following  spring.  Then  sow  the  sand  and  seed  to- 
gether either  in  some  half-shady  situation  in  the  garden, 
or  in  pots,  boxes  or  frames.  The  soil  in  which  the  seed 
is  sown  should  be  of  a  light  texture,  to  prevent  baking 
of  the  surface  after  watering.  The  seed  should  be 
scattered  on  the  surface,  and  fine  soil  sifted  over  them 
to  a  depth  of  not  more  than  one-quarter  of  an  inch,  or 
less  than  one-eighth.  Apply  water  freely  with  a  water- 
ing pot  or  garden  syringe,  using  a  fine  rose  in  order  that 
the  water  shall  fall  on  the  surface  in  the  form  of  spray 
instead  of  a  stream,  as  the  latter  is  likely  to  wash  out  the 
seed.  By  keeping  the  soil  moist  the  plants  will  usually 
appear  in  two  to  four  weeks  after  sowing,  and,  if  sown 
under  glass  or  in  warm  weather,  in  less  time. 

If  the  plants  do  not  come  up  so  thickly  as  to  be 
crowded,  they  may  remain  in  the  seedbed  during  the 
entire  season,  but  usually  it  is  better  to  transplant  them 
into  rows  in  the  open  ground  where  they  can  have  more 
room  for  development.  All  runners  should  be  removed 


' 

PROPAGATION.  28 

the  first  season  in  order  to  secure  as  vigorous  growth  of 
the  original  plant  as  possible.  The  following  season  the 
plants  will  bear  fruit,  when  the  best  and  most  promising 
may  be  preserved  and  the  others  destroyed.  It  must 
not,  however,  be  expected  that  a  one-year-old  seedling 
is  a  fully  developed  plant,  and  for  this  reason  it  is  well 
to  preserve  all  which  give  promise  of  excellence. 

If  the  seed  is  sown  as  soon  as  it  is  removed  from  the 
freshly-gathered  fruit  in  summer,  it  will  sprout  in  two 
or  three  weeks,  and  produce  plants  with  several  well  de- 
veloped leaves  before  the  end  of  the  season,  and,  if  given 
protection  the  first  winter,  they  will  make  a  vigorous 
growth  the  next,  and  become  somewhat  larger  plants 
than  those  raised  from  seed  sown  in  the  spring  of  the 
eame  year.  It  is  best  to  give  the  seedlings  some  protec- 
tion in  cold  climates  in  order  to  secure  their  full  develop- 
ment. 

When  the  plants  come  into  bloom  they  should  be 
carefully  examined,  and  those  with  pistillate  flowers — 
as  these  will  usually  be  the  least  numerous — marked  so 
that  they  will  be  known  when  the  fruit  is  ripe.  When 
a  variety  has  been  raised  that  promises  to  be  valuable, 
the  plant  should  be  carefully  lifted  during  rainy 
weather  and  set  out  by  itself  for  propagation. 

The  plants  may  be  removed  from  the  seedling  bed  or 
rows  soon  after  the  fruit  is  mature,  or  its  character 
fully  determined  if  carefully  lifted,  and  then  given 
plenty  of  water  and  shaded  a  few  days  after  re-planting. 
It  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  raise  new  varieties,  but  to  ob- 
tain one  worthy  of  propagation  and  dissemination  is 
quite  another  matter,  and  the  chances  are  not  more  than 
one  in  a  thousand  of  obtaining  a  new  variety  from  seed 
equal  to  the  best  of  the  old  ones  now  in  cultivation.  It 
is  well  enough,  however,  for  every  person  who  has  the 


26  THE  STRAWBERRY  CULTURIST. 

time  to  spare  and  inclination  to  experiment,  to  try,  be* 
cause  there  is  not  only  a  chance  of  producing  varieties 
better  than  any  now  in  cultivation,  but  in  addition  the 
pleasure  of  watching  one's  own  seedlings  grow  and  bear 
fruit. 

Propagation  by  Runners. — This  is  the  natural 
method  of  propagation  of  all  the  species  and  varieties  ex- 
cept the  Bush  Alpines.  The  first  runner  produced  on  a 
plant  in  summer  is  usually  the  strongest  and  best  for 
early  removal,  but  those  that  are  produced  later  in  the 
season  on  the  same  runner  are  equally  as  good  when  of 
the  same  age  and  size.  Certain  theorists  have,  however, 
claimed  that  the  first  plant  formed  on  a  runner  near  the 
parent  plant  was  naturally  stronger  and  better  in  every 
way  than  those  following  or  produced  later,  but  long  ex- 
perience has  not  proved  this  to  be  true.  If  the  second, 
third  or  fourth  plant  should  happen  to  thrust  its  roots 
into  richer  soil  than  the  first  one,  they  will  become  the 
larger  and  stronger  plants  before  the  end  of  the  season. 
To  insure  the  rooting  of  the  young  plants,  the  surface  of 
the  soil  should  be  kept  loose  and  open,  and  if  a  top 
dressing  of  fine  old  manure  can  be  applied  just  before  or 
at  the  time  the  runners  are  pushing  out  most  rapidly,  it 
will  greatly  facilitate  the  production  of  roots. 

Pot  Plants. — In  the  last  few  years  what  are  called 
"  pot-grown  plants"  have  become  very  popular  among 
amateur  cultivators,  who  may  desire  to  purchase  a  few 
plants  and  have  them  in  the  best  possible  condition  to 
insure  rapid  growth  and  early  planting.  To  accommo- 
date this  class  of  buyers  our  Strawberry  growers  have  made 
these  pot-grown  or  layered  plants  a  distinct  feature  of 
their  business.  In  propagating  plants  by  this  mode 
small  two  or  three-inch  flower  pots  are  filled  with  rich 


PROPAGATION  BY   DIVISION.  27 

soil  and  then  plunged  in  the  ground,  around  the  old 
stools  and  in  such  positions  as  will  admit  of  placing  a 
young  plant  while  attached  to  the  runner  in  each,  or  on 
the  surface  of  the  soil  in  the  pot  so  that  the  new  roots 
will  penetrate  it.  When  the  new  plants  have  produced 
a  sufficient  number  of  roots  in  these  pots  to  form  a  some- 
what compact  mass  or  ball  of  the  earth  within,  they  are 
carefully  separated,  the  pots  lifted,  and  either  sent  to 
the  purchasers  in  the  pots  or  knocked  out,  and  each  plant 
rolled  up  separately  in  a  piece  of  paper  or  some  similar 
material. 

Plants  that  have  become  well  established  in  the  pots  in 
time  for  planting  out  early  in  the  fall  will  often  yield  a 
moderate  crop  of  fruit  the  following  season,  which  the 
amateur  cultivator  may  value  far  more  highly  than  the 
professional  who  raises  fruit  for  market.  Pot-grown 
plants  cost  more  than  those  raised  in  the  ordinary  way, 
and  they  are  worth  more,  especially  to  persons  who  are 
anxious  to  test  a  new  variety  or  see  Strawberries  ripen- 
ing in  their  own  garden. 

PROPAGATION    BY  DIVISION. 

This  mode  is  seldom  practiced  except  with  the  Bush 
Alpines,  which  do  not  produce  runners.  To  propagate 
these  varieties  the  old  stools  should  be  lifted  early  in 
Spring  and  divided,  leaving  only  one  or  two  crowns  to  a 
plant.  If  the  old  or  central  stems  are  very  long,  the 
lower  or  older  part  may  be  cut  away,  leaving  only  the 
upper  and  younger  roots  attached.  In  setting  out  again, 
the  crown  of  the  plant  should  be  just  level  with  the  sur- 
face of  the  soil  in  order  that  new  lateral  roots  may  spring 
out  above  the  old  ones  on  the  central  stalk  or  stem. 

In  its  wild  state  the  Strawberry  is  found  growing  in 
a  great  variety  of  soils,  from  the  rich  alluvial  depositi 


28  THE  STRAWBERRY   OULTURIST. 

SOIL  AND   ITS   PREPARATION. 

along  rivers,  up  to  the  sand  hills  and  even  bleak  rock^ 
ridges  of  Alpine  regions.     But  as  the  largest  species  and 
varieties  are  found  growing  in  the  richest  soils,  so  in  cul- 
tivation we  will  ever  find  that  large  fruit,  and  this  in 
abundance,  can  only  be  secured  by  supplying  a  corres- 
ponding amount  of  nutriment.     New  soils,  free  from 
weeds  and  noxious  insects,  are  certainly  preferable  to  old, 
worn  and  badly  infested;  but  as  the  Strawberry  grower 
can  seldom  have  his  choice  in  such  matters,  he  must  use 
such  as  he  has  and  overcome  natural  obstacles  with  arti- 
ficial remedies.     A  rather  light  soil  or  what  would  be 
called  loamy  soil,  is  preferable  to  heavy  clay,  or  the  oppo- 
site extreme  as  seen  in  sand  and  gravel.     But  natural 
defects  can  usually  be  remedied,  for  the  stiff  cold  clay 
can  be  improved  by  underdraining  and  subsoiling,  also 
by  adding  vegetable  matter  in  large  quantities.     The 
main  point  to  be  observed  is  to  secure  a  good  depth  of 
soil  with  good  drainage  and  plenty  of  nutriment  for  the 
plants.     Next  in  importance  after  supplying  what  may 
be  termed  the  substantial  elements  in  the  form  of  nutri- 
ment comes  moisture,  for  the  Strawberry  plant  will  use 
an  immense  amount  if  it  is  obtainable,  but  stagnant 
water  at  the  roots  or  a  constantly  water-soaked  soil  are 
conditions  to  be  avoided.     A  soil  that  will  allow  the 
water  falling  in  the  form  of  rain  to  pass  down  through 
it  in  a  few  hours,  and  still  hold  enough  in  suspension  to 
keep  it  moist  for  weeks,  is  a  proper  one  for  the  Straw- 
berry, whatever  may  have  been  its  original  nature  or  con- 
dition. 

Land  that  will  produce  a  good  crop  of  corn  or  pota- 
toes may  be  considered  in  a  fair  condition  for  Strawber- 
ries,, provided  that  it  is  not  so  situated  as  to  be  in  dangei 


SOIL  AND  ITS   PREPARATION.  29 

of  flooding  during  the  time  of  the  usual  overflow  of 
streams  in  winter  and  spring.  But  the  Strawberry  re- 
quires a  deeper  soil  than  corn,  and  this  may  be  rea(Jily 
secured  by  deep  plowing,  or  what  is  better,  turning  over 
the  surface  soil  shallow,  and  following  with  a  subsoil 
plow,  and  in  this  way  avoid  bringing  the  poorer  subsoil 
to  the  surface.  The  land,  if  naturally  hard  and  compact, 
should  be  cross-plowed  in  the  same  way,  and,  if  manure 
is  to  be  applied  at  all,  let  it  be  spread  over  the  surface  be- 
fore the  first  plowing,  in  order  that  it  may  become  well 
mixed  and  intermingled  with  the  soil  before  the  plants 
are  set  out,  that  is,  if  ordinary  kinds  of  composts  or  barn- 
yard manure  are  used.  When  commercial  manures  are 
employed  they  are  usually  applied  in  the  form  of  top- 
dressings  at  the  time  of  setting  out  the  plants,  or  at  va- 
rious times  afterwards  as  the  plants  may  show  the  need 
of  more  stimulants  and  nutriment. 

Manures. — The  Strawberry  is  not  so  capricious  as  to 
refuse  nutriment  in  almost  any  form  when  presented  to 
its  roots,  but  the  quantity  and  quality  may  be  varied  ac- 
cording to  circumstances.  *  On  the  rich  prairies  of  the 
Western  States,  or  on  newly-cleared  land  in  the  East,  no 
manure  may  be  necessary  in  order  to  secure  a  heavy  crop 
of  fruit,  but  the  plants  require  nutriment  in  abundance, 
and,  if  it  is  not  natural  in  the  soil,  we  must  place  it 
there  in  some  form.  As  for  the  kind  of  fertilizer  to 
use,  I  have  never,  as  yet,  found  anything  to  excel 
thoroughly  decomposed  barn-yard  manure.  On  light, 
warm,  sandy  soils  I  prefer  cow  manure  to  that  of  the 
horse,  as  it  is  of  a  cooler  nature,  but  if  manure  from  barn 
yard  or  stables  is  left  in  the  yard  until  it  has  become  well 
rotted,  or  is  composted  with  muck,  leaves  and  similar 
materials,  it  may  be  used  on  sandy  soils,  and  in  liberal 


30  THE   STEAWBEERY   CULTUEIST. 

amounts  without  danger  of  over  stimulating  the  plants. 
Bone  dust,  superphosphate  of  lime,  sulphate  of  ammo- 
nia, muriate  of  potash,  and  wood  ashes,  may  all  be  used 
where  the  land  is  poor  or  extra  stimulants  are  needed  to 
force  the  growth  and  increase  the  size  of  the  fruit. 

HOW   AND   WHEK  TO   PLAKT. 

While  it  is  perfectly  practicable  to  transplant  the 
Strawberry  at  any  and  all  seasons  of  the  year — except 
when  the  ground  is  hard  frozen  and  covered  with  snow — 
still  there  appear  to  be  certain  months  during  which 
this  operation  may  be  performed  with  less  labor  and 
more  uniform  success  than  during  any  other  of  the 
twelve.  In  warm  climates,  as  in  our  Southern  States, 
the  best  time  for  setting  out  the  plants  is  late  in  the 
autumn  or  at  almost  any  time  during  the  winter,  but 
the  earlier  the  better,  in  order  to  secure  the  benefits  of 
the  cool  moist  weather  during  which  the  plants  become 
well  established  and  in  condition  for  growth  at  the  ap- 
proach of  warm  weather  in  spring.  But  in  cold  cli- 
mates late  fall  planting  will,.in  most  instances,  result  in 
a  total  loss,  as  the  frosts  of  winter  will  lift  the  plants 
from  the  soil  and  destroy  them.  The  two  seasons  most 
favorable  for  planting  the  Strawberry  in  cold  climates  are 
early  fall,  or  from  the  middle  of  August  to  the  first  week 
in  September  and  early  in  the  Spring.  Fall  planting, 
however,  of  the  Strawberry  is  not  generally  practiced  in 
ths  Northern  States  except  by  amateurs  and  with  pot- 
grown  plants.  But  in  this  matter  of  transplanting  much 
depends  upon  the  season  ;  if  there  is  an  abundance  of 
i^*in  during  the  summer,  strong,  well-rooted  plants  may 
be  obtained  in  August  or  by  the  first  of  September,  and 
if  these  are  set  out,  and  the  weather  continues  favorable, 
they  will  become  well  established  by  the  time  cold 


HOW   AND   WHEN  TO   PLANT. 


31 


weather  sets  in,  and  the  following  season  make  a  much 
better  growth  than  if  the  planting  was  delayed  until 
spring.  But  favorable  seasons  are  so  uncertain  that 
autumn  planting  is  not  a  general  practice  among  those 
who  make  Strawberry  culture  a  specialty. 

When  transplanting  in  the  spring,   the  half-dead 


Fig.  g. — YOUNG  STRAWBERRY  PLANT. 

leaves  should  be  removed  and  the  roots  shortened  one- 
third  or  one-half  their  length.  In  Fig.  8  is  shown  a 
terminal  plant  on  a  runner  as  taken  from  the  ground. 
A,  the  runner  connecting  it  with  the  parent  plant.  B, 
the  tip  of  the  runner  which  would  have  extended  and 
produced  another  plant  had  it  not  been  checked  by  frost. 


32  THE   STRAWBERRY   CULTTJRIST. 

C — D,  the  cross  line  showing  the  point  at  which  the 
roots  should  be  cut.  This  pruning  or  shortening  of  the 
roots  causes  the  production  of  a  new  set  of  fibres  from 
the  severed  ends.  It  also  causes  other  roots  to  push  out 
from  near  the  crown,  and  if  a  plant  thus  pruned  be  taken 
up  in  a  few  weeks  after  planting,  its  roots  will  appear 


Fig.  9.— PLANT  WITH  ROOTS  PRUNED. 

somewhat  as  shown  in  Fig.  9.  This  pruning  of  the 
roots  is  not  so  generally  practiced  as  it  deserves  to  be, 
especially  with  plants  that  have  been  out  of  the  ground 
for  several  days,  or  until  the  roots  are  withered  or  hare 


SELECTION   OF   PLANTS  33 

commenced  to  decay  at  the  ends.  No  matter  how'care- 
fully  the  plants  are  taken  up,  some  of  the  fibres  will  be 
broken  off,  and  it  is  much  better  to  sever  all  iihe  roots 
with  a  clean  cut  than  to  plant  them  with  ragged  and 
broken  ends.  Boots  pruned  in  this  way  are  more  readily 
spread  out  when  placed  in  the  ground  again  than  when 
left  intact  or  of  full  length. 

Selection  of  Plants. — Young  runners  of  one  sea- 
son's growth  are  best,  and  old  plants  should  not  be  used 
for  transplanting,  if  it  can  be  avoided.  But,  if  a  variety 
is  scarce  and  valuable,  the  old  stools  may  be  taken  up 
and  pulled  apart,  and  the  lower  end  of  the  central  stalk 
cut  away  as  recommended  for  the  Bush  Alpines,  and 
then  set  out  again,  planting  deep  enough  to  ensure  the 
emission  of  new  roots  above  the  old  ones. 

DIFFERENT   MODES   OF   CULTIVATION. 

The  cultivators  of  the  Strawberry  are  not  all  of  one 
opinion  in  regard  to  the  best  mode  of  cultivation  either 
in  the  field  or  garden ;  consequently,  we  hear  much 
about  raising  Strawberries  in  hills,  rows,  matted  beds, 
annual  renewal  systems,  etc.,  all  of  which  may  give  good 
results,  with  productive  varieties  and  on  rich  soils. 

But  different  varieties  often  require  a  different  mode 
of  culture  in  order  to  obtain  the  largest  yield  and  the 
largest  berries.  The  large,  coarse-grown  varieties  of  the. 
Chili  species,  or  the  hybrid  between  these  and  the  Vir- 
ginia Strawberry,  succeed  best  when  grown  in  hills  or  sin- 
gle rows,  and  they  are  usually  quite  unproductive  if  the 
plants  are  permitted  to  run  together  and  become  in  the 
least  crowded.  The  Triomphe  de  Grand,  Jucunda, 
Champion,  Agriculturist  and  Lennig's  White  are  well- 
known  varieties  of  this  type  ;  while  others,  such  as 
Charles  Downing,  President  Wilder,  Green  Prolific  and 


34  THE   STBAWBEERY   CULTUKIST. 

Manchester,  will  yield  well  either  in  narrow  rows  01 
wide  beds,  and  where  the  plants  become  matted. 

In  the  "  hill  system  "  the  plants  are  usually  set  out 
in  rows  about  three  feet  apart,  and  the  plants  eighteen 
inches  to  two  feet  apart  in  the  row.  The  ground  is  kept 
thoroughly  cultivated  among  the  plants  during  the  en- 
tire season,  and  all  runners  removed  as  soon  as  they  ap- 
pear, or  at  least  once  a  week.  This  treatment  will  in- 
sure very  large  and  strong  plants,  with  numerous  crowns 
or  buds,  from  which  fruit-stalks  will  push  up  the  follow- 
ing spring.  In  cold  climates  and  where  the  plants  are 
likely  to  be  exposed  to  alternate  freezing  and  thawing, 
or  to  cold  winds  during  the  winter,  they  should  be  pro- 
tected by  a  light  covering  of  hay,  coarse  manure,  or 
some  similar  material — just  enough  to  protect  the  crown s 
from  injury — but  not  enough  to  prevent  freezing.  In 
the  spring  the  materials  used  for  protection  may  be  re- 
moved, and  the  plants  given  a  good  hoeing  or  a  cultiva- 
cor  run  between  the  rows  to  soften  up  the  soil,  which  may 
have  become  hard  and  compact  during  the  winter;  but 
this  cultivation  in  the  spring  will  depend  somewhat  upon 
the  character  of  the  soil,  for,  if  it  is  light  and  of  a  sandy 
nature,  it  will  not  be  necessary,  but  it  will  certainly  do 
no  harm  and  may  prove  of  great  benefit  to  the  plants. 
After  the  beds  are  cleared  up  and  before  the  plants  come 
into  bloom,  the  entire  surface  of  the  ground  should  be 
covered  with  long  straw  or  some  similar  material  as  a 
mulch  to  keep  the  soil  moist  and  the  fruit  clean  when  it 
ripens.  It  is  almost  a  waste  of  time  to  undertake  to  raise 
the  large  varieties  in  hills  without  mulching  the  plants, 
for  the  largest  berries  are  almost  certain  to  become 
splashed  with  soil  during  heavy  rains. 

"When  grown  in  single  rows  the  plants  may  be  set 
about  twelve  inches  apart  in  the  rows,  and  for  garden 


DIFFERENT  MODES  OF.  CULTIVATION.  35 

culture  the  rows  should  be  about  three  feet  apart,  but 
for  field  culture  I  prefer  to  allow  a  little  more  space  be- 
tween the  rows,  or  four  feet,  but  the  distance  may  be 
varied  according  to  the  habit  of  the  plants — some  of  the 
rank-growing  varieties  requiring  more  room  than  those 
of  a  medium  growth,  but  it  is  much  better  to  allow  the 
plants  plenty  of  room  than  to  have  them  crowded. 

During  the  first  season  the  plants  must  be  given  good 
cultivation,  and  the  more  the  soil  is  stirred  among  them 
the  better,  provided  the  roots  are  not  disturbed  by  the 
implements  employed  in  this  work.  In  the  field  a  one- 
horse  cultivator  is  the  best  implement  to  use  for  keeping 
the  soil  loose  and  free  from  weeds  between  the  rows, 
and,  while  the  hoe  may  be  used  early  in  the  season  to 
stir  the  surface  about  the  plants,  it  will  have  to  be 
abandoned  later  on  when  the  runners  push  out,  for  these 
are  to  be  allowed  to  take  root  in  the  row,  and  form  a  bed 
about  one  foot  wide,  and  all  that  extend  out  beyond 
this  may  be  cut  off  or  torn  up  with  the  cultivator.  Some 
cultivators  allow  the  runners  to  take  root  over  a  space  of 
eighteen  to  twenty-four  inches  wide,  leaving  just  room 
enough  between  the  narrow  beds  to  give  a  path  in  which 
to  stand  in  gathering  the  fruit  the  following  season.  It 
is  doubtful,  however,  if  any  more  fruit  will  be  obtained 
from  a  larger  number  of  small  plants  than  from  less  but 
of  a  stronger  and  more  vigorous  growth,  as  they  are  more 
likely  to  be,  if  restricted  to  a  narrow  row. 

If  protection  in  winter  is  necessary — and  usually  it  is 
in  our  Northern  States — it  should  be  given  as  soon  as 
the  ground  begins  to  freeze  in  the  fall  or  early  winter. 
If  applied  before  the  weather  has  become  cool  and  the 
nights  frosty,  there  is  danger  of  the  plants  sweating  and 
bleaching.  Still,  it  is  not  well  to  delay  covering  up  un- 
til snow  falls  and  prevents  it. 


36  THE   STRAWBERRY   CULTURIST. 

Coarse,  strong  manure  from  the  stable  or  barnyard, 
scattered  along  over  the  crowns  of  the  plants,  makes  an 
excellent  winter  protection,  but  as  such  material  contains 
many  weed  seeds,  it  should  be  employed  only  on  beds 
that  are  to  be  plowed  up  after  fruiting  the  ensuing  sea- 
son. In  fact,  it  will  seldom  pay  the  cultivator  to  clean 
out  an  old  weedy  plantation,  for  it  costs  less  to  set  out  a 
new  one. 

Bed  or  Matted  System. — In  this  mode  two  or 
three  rows  are  planted  in  beds  four  feet  wide,  and  the 
plants  allowed  to  cover  the  entire  surface  until  they  form 
a  close  mat  or  bed  ;  hence  the  name.  One  or  two  crops 
are  taken  and  then  the  plants  are  plowed  up  as  usual 
when  cultivated  in  rows.  But,  by  thinning  out  occa- 
sionally, the  beds  may  be  kept  in  a  moderately  produc- 
tive condition  for  several  years,  especially  with  some  of 
the  more  slender  growing  of  our  native  varieties.  Some 
cultivators,  who  raise  Strawberries  for  market,  adopt  what 
may  be  called  an  annual  system,  setting  out  plants 
in  spring  either  in  single  rows  or  narrow  beds,  giving 
them  extra  care  during  the  first  season,  then,  after  the 
fruit  is  gathered  the  next  summer,  the  beds  are  plowed 
up.  This  mode  necessitates  the  making  of  a  new  plan- 
tation annually.  On  very  rich  soils  and  with  the  larger 
varieties — which  generally  command  the  highest  price  in 
market — this  system  is  no  doubt  an  excellent  and  profit- 
able one.  But  amateurs  and  others,  who  have  only  a 
limited  space  to  devote  to  this  fruit,  will  prefer  either 
the  hill  or  row  system,  because,  by  devoting  a  little  more 
labor  to  cultivation  and  removing  the  runners,  the  beds 
may  be  kept  in  good  condition  for  fruiting  a  half  dozen 
years.  By  an  occasional  top-dressing  of  old  and  well 
rotted  manure,  and  forking  in  the  materials  used  for  pro- 
tecting the  plants  and  a  mulch,  the  soil  will  be  kept  in 


DIFFEEE^T  MODES  OF   CULTIVATION.  37 

fine  condition  for  insuring  a  vigorous  growth  of  plants. 
Old  beds,  however,  are  usually  more  likely  to  be  infested 
by  noxious  insects  than  new  ones,  in  addition  to  weedss 
such  as  white  clover,  which  are  difficult  to  eradicate 
without  disturbing  the  roots  of  the  plants. 

Planting. — The  surface  of  the  bed  or  field  to  be 
planted  should  be  made  smooth,  level  and  free  from 
lumps  and  stones.  If  it  is  uneven  and  there  are  many 
little  hillocks  and  depressions,  as  are  naturally  left  after 
plowing,  the  plants  will  follow  these  undulating  lines, 
and  some  will  be  buried  too  deep  and  others  have  their 
roots  exposed  after  the  first  heavy  shower. 

Always  choose  a  cloudy  day  for  planting,  and  it  is  far 
better  to  heel  the  plants  in  for  a  few  days  and  give  them 
a  little  water  and  shade  than  to  set  them  out  in  dry 
weather.  Draw  a  line  where  you  are  to  set  a  row  of 
plants,  keeping  it  a  few  inches  above  the  ground,  so 
that  you  may  plant  under  it  instead  of  along  one  side. 
Use  a  transplanting  trowel  for  making  holes  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  roots,  and  these  should  be  spread  out 
evenly  in  all  directions,  or  spread  apart,  so  that  they 
will  lie  against  one  side  of  the  hole  made  with  the  trowel, 
Cover  the  plants  as  deep  as  possible  without  covering  the 
crowns,  and  then  press  the  soil  down  firmly  around  the 
roots.  Some  cultivators  use  a  small  wooden  dibbe-r  for 
planting,  merely  making  a  round  hole  in  the  soil  into 
which  the  roots  are  thrust  all  in  a  clump.  Plants  may 
live  under  such  treatment,  but  careful  planting  with  a 
trowel  is  far  the  best  mode.  If  the  weather  should 
prove  dry  after  planting,  watering  will,  of  course,  be 
beneficial ;  but  is  only  practicable  on  a  small  scale,  as  in 
gardens,  or  where  it  may  be  necessary  to  save  some  new 
and  choice  variety. ' 


38  THE   STBAWBEEKY   CULTUKIST. 

Where  pistillate  varieties  are  raised  for  the  main  crop 
then  every  fourth  or  fifth  row  should  be  planted  with 
some  hermaphrodite  or  perfect  flowering  variety,  which 
blooms  at  or  about  the  same  time  as  the  pistillate. 

If  the  plants  are  cultivated  in  wide  beds,  then  about 
every  third  one  should  be  planted  with  some  perfect 
flowering  sort  to  supply  pollen  to  the  pistillate  plants. 
But,  as  I  have  said  elsewhere,  there  is  no  need  of ,  or  good 
reason  for,  cultivating  these  imperfect  flowering  varieties 
at  all,  and,  unless  one  should  appear  better  than  any  as 
yet  known,  they  might  all  be  discarded  without  loss  to 
either  cultivators  or  consumers  of  this  fruit. 

To  Raise  Extra  Large  Fruit. — First  of  all  secure 
plants  of  varieties  known  to  grow  to  a  large  size,  then 
plant  in  rich  soil,  remove  the  runners  as  soon  as  they  ap- 
pear, keep  the  weeds  down,  stir  the  surface  of  the  soil 
frequently,  apply  water  as  often  as  necessary,  which  will 
be  at  least  twice  a  week  in  dry  weather,  also  give  liquid 
manure  occasionally;  in  fact,  force  the  plants  to  make  a 
strong  and  vigorous  growth.  In  the  fall,  or  at  the  ap- 
proach of  cold  weather,  cover  the  plants  with  hay,  straw, 
or  some  similar  material,  and  in  the  spring  remove  it  and 
spade  or  fork  up  the  ground  between  the  rows,  after 
which  spread  over  the  ground  sufficient  mulch  to  keep 
the  soil  moist  even  during  the  time  of  drought.  Under 
such  treatment  extra  large  berries  may  usually  be  pro- 
duced. The  cost  of  raising  fruit  by  such  modes  of  cul- 
tivation is,  of  course,  seldom  taken  into  consideration, 
and  it  really  ought  not  to  be  any  more  than  any  other 
amusement  devised  for  our  own  pleasure  or  that  of  our 
friends. 

Of  course,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  large  and  fine 
fruit  cannot  be  raised  without  extra  and  expensive  modes 


POT  CULTURE   AND   FORCING.  39 

of  cultivation,  but  I  have  yet  to  learn  of  an  instance 
where  "  astonishing  "  large  Strawberries  have  been  pro- 
duced without  a  corresponding  outlay  in  manure,  labor 
and  care. 

POT   CULTUEE  AND  FORCING. 

It  often  occurs  that  Strawberries  ripening  out  of  sea- 
son are  far  more  valuable  than  those  maturing  in  the 
usual  or  natural  season.  Kipe  Strawberries  in  mid-win- 
ter or  even  a  month  or  two  in  advance  of  the  crop  ripen- 
ing out  of  doors,  always  command  an  extra  price  in  our 
markets  ;  and,  if  a  person  does  not  care  to  raise  fruit  to 
sell,  he  may  take  pride  in  having  them  on  his  own  table 
out  of  the  regular  season. 

It  is  not  at  all  difficult  to  raise  Strawberry  plants  in 
pots  and  force  them  into  fruiting  at  almost  any  season 
as  desired,  provided  a  person  has  a  greenhouse,  pit  or 
hot-house  in  which  the  plants  may  be  stored  and  forced 
with  artificial  heat  during  cold  weather. 

The  plants  to  be  forced  may  be  of  either  one  or  two 
seasons'  growth.  If  strong  plants  are  desired  and  such 
as  will  produce  a  number  of  fruit-stalks,  small  young 
plants  should  be  potted  in  the  spring,  using  four  or  five 
inch  pots  for  this  purpose.  The  pots  containing  the 
plants  should  be  plunged  in  the  open  ground,  and  where 
water  can  be  given  as  required,  and  all  runners  removed 
as  soon  as  they  appear,  also  flower  and  fruit  stalks.  In 
June  or  July  shift  the  plants  into  eight-inch  pots,  using 
very  rich  and  compact  soil.  A  few  pieces  of  broken  pots 
or  old  sods  should  be  placed  in  the  bottom  of  the  pots 
for  drainage,  but  the  ball  of  earth  about  the  roots  must 
not  be  broken  when  transferring  from  the  smaller  to  the 
larger  pots.  Give  water  to  settle  the  soil  in  the  pots, 
then  plunge  the  pots  in  a  frame  where  they  will  continue 


40  THE  STEAWBEEEY  CULTUEIST. 

to  grow  without  check  until  the  approach  of  cold 
weather. 

Plants  wanted  for  an  early  crop  may  be  brought  into 
the  house  in  November,  as  it  will  take  from  ten  to  twelve 
weeks  from  the  time  they  are  placed  in  the  house  before 
ripe  fruit  can  be  obtained.  The  pots  may  be  plunged 
in  tan  or  some  similar  material  in  the  forcing  house  or 
merely  placed  on  the  benches  or  shelves,  but  more  care 
is  required  in  giving  water,  if  the  pots  are  exposed,  than 
when  plunged  in  tan  or  soil. 

If  a  succession  of  crops  is  desired,  then  only  a  por- 
tion of  the  plants  should  be  brought  in  at  one  time. 

The  temperature  of  the  house  should  be  only  moder- 
ate at  first,  but  increased  gradually  as  the  plants  com- 
mence to  grow  and  the  fruit  stems  appear,  when  it 
should  range  from  65  to  75  degrees  during  the  day  and 
about  ten  degrees  lower  at  night. 

The  plants  will  be  benefited  if  syringed  or  watered 
overhead  once  or  twice  a  week  until  they  come  into 
bloom ;  then  omit  it  until  the  fruit  is  set,  after  which 
it  may  be  continued  as  before.  While  the  plants  are  in 
bloom,  admit  as  much  air  as  possible  without  lowering  the 
temperature  to  a  dangerous  degree,  and,  as  there  will  be 
neither  wind  or  insects  to  scatter  the  pollen,  it  is  usually 
necessary  to  scatter  it  artificially.  This  can  be  done  very 
rapidly  with  an  ordinary  camel's  hair  brush  or  pencil, 
lightly  touching  the  stamens  and  pistils  as  each  flower 
becomes  fully  expanded.  This  is  not  necessary  with 
every  variety,  but  a  larger  and  more  uniform  crop  will 
usually  be  secured  if  practised  on  those  fruiting  most 
freely  in  the  house. 

The  plants  that  are  kept  for  forcing  later  in  the  sea- 
son should  be  stored  in  a  cold  frame  or  pit,  where  they 
will  remain  in  a  dormant  state  until  ready  for  use. 


POT  CULTURE  AKD  FORCING.  41 

Plants  of  one  season's  growth  or  those  struck  in  pots 
during  the  summer  will  answer  well  for  forcing  in  win- 
ter. The  plants  will  not  be  as  large  as  older  ones,  or 
produce  as  many  berries,  but,  as  they  are  smaller,  a 
greater  number  can  can  be  forced  in  a  given  space.  The 
first  or  earliest  runners  should  be  selected  for  this  pur- 
pose, and  a  three  or  four-inch  pot  plunged  in  the  ground 
underneath,  or  if  roots  have  formed  on  the  young  plant 
when  the  pots  are  set  in  place,  they  may  be  thrust  into 
the  pot  and  good  soil  filled  in  about  them.  These  pot- 
grown  plants  should  be  lifted  early,  or  about  the  first  of 
October,  and  shifted  in  to  five  or  six-inch  pots,  filled 
with  very  rich  compost  and  plenty  of  drainage — thence- 
forward treated  as  advised  for  older  stock. 

Such  pot-grown  plants  may  be  fruited  in  the  win- 
dows of  an  ordinary  dwelling,  provided  the  temperature 
does  not  fall  below  40  or  45  degrees  at  night.  The  best 
varieties  of  the  Strawberry  for  the  purpose,  however,  are 
the  Monthly  Alpines,  as  they  will  thrive  in  a  lower  tem- 
perature than  those  of  other  species,  and,  with  ordinary 
care,  will  continue  to  bloom  and  bear  fruit  all  the  year 
round.  Fruit  is  not  produced  in  any  great  abundance 
at  any  one  season,  but,  the  crop  being  a  continuous  one,  it 
amounts  to  a  pretty  fair  quantity  during  the  year.  As 
an  ornamental  window  or  greenhouse  plant  there  are  very 
few  bearing  edible  fruit  worthy  of  more  care  or  atten- 
tion than  the  Monthly  Alpine  Strawberry. 

VARIETIES  FOR  FORCING. 

Nearly  all  of  the  perfect  flowering  varieties  succeed 
when  forced  under  glass,  but  the  largest  and  most  pro- 
lific are  to  be  preferred,  because  size  and  quantity  are 
properties  sought  more  than  high  flavors  in  a  Strawberry 
"out  of  season/'  An  eminent  English  authority  (G. 


42  THE  STRAWBERRY   CULTURIST. 

W.  Johnson)  in  referring  to  that  subject  in  a  work  pub- 
lished some  forty  years  ago,  very  truly  says  that  "  no 
plant  is  more  certain  of  producing  a  good  crop,  when 
forced,  than  is  the  Strawberry,  if  properly  treated  ;  and 
none  will  more  assuredly  disappoint  the  gardener's  hope, 
after  a  fair  promise,  if  he  adopts  the  too  common  error 
of  forcing  too  fast."  The  Strawberry  naturally  blooms 
in  the  spring  when  the  nights  are  cool  and  the  day  tem- 
perature far  lower  than  later  in  the  season  ;  consequently, 
a  high  temperature  is  neither  required  nor  beneficial  to 
plants  when  first  placed  in  the  forcing  house.  Air 
should  be  admitted  freely  during  the  night,  and  the  tem- 
perature kept  low  until  the  plants  come  into  bloom,  then 
an  increase  of  several  degrees  is  admissible,  but  at  no 
time  is  a  very  high  temperature  required. 

The  larger  varieties,  such  as  Sharpless,  Miner's  Pro- 
lific, Seth  Boyden,  Cumberland  Triumph,  and  American 
Agriculturist,  are  all  excellent  sorts  for  forcing,  espe- 
cially when  extra  size  berries  are  an  object. 

In  Europe  forcing  the  Strawberry  is  practised  more 
extensively  than  in  this  country,  but  the  demand  for 
this  fruit  out  of  its  natural  season  is  constantly  increas- 
ing, and  will,  no  doubt,  continue  to  increase  for  many 
years  to  come.  Twenty-five  years  ago  the  Strawberry 
season  in  our  large  cities  scarcely  extended  beyond  a 
period  of  six  weeks,  but  now  it  is  nearly  six  months,  for 
ripe  Strawberries  come  North  from  the  Gulf  States  before 
the  frost  has  left  the  ground  in  the  Northern,  and  before 
these  two  early  berries  reach  us  from  the  South,  those 
raised  by  forcing  houses  may  be  found  in  limited  quan- 
tities in  our  fruit  stores.  Of  course,  this  early  or  forced 
fruit  commands  a  high  price,  but  those  who  are  able  and 
willing  to  pay  for  such  luxuries  should  be,  and  are 
usually,  accommodated. 


FOECIHG  HOUSES — INSECT  EHEMIES.  43 

FOKCLNG   HOUSES. 

Almost  any  ordinary  greenhouse  may  be  used  as  a 
forcing  house  for  the  Strawberry,  provided  it  is  so  con- 
structed that  the  plants  can  be  placed  near  the  glass. 
If  the  plants  are  placed  several  feet  below  the  roof  or 
glass,  they  are  likely  to  be  drawn,  as  it  is  termed,  the 
leaves  and  fruit-stalks  growing  tall  and  slender.  Low 
houses  are,  therefore,  better  for  this  purpose  than  high 
ones,  and  even  low-walled  pits,  heated  by  brick  flues  or 
earthern  pipes,  answer  well  for  forcing  the  Strawberry. 

INSECT  EKEMIES. 

Until  within  the  past  decade  or  two  the  Strawberry 
was  rarely  injured — at  least  not  to  any  extent — by  either 
insect  or  disease.  But  as  its  cultivation  is  extended  it 
naturally  encounters  a  greater  number  of  enemies.  Prob- 
ably the  most  destructive  pest  is  known  under  the  com- 
mon name  of  White  Grub,  or  larva  of  the  May  Beetle. 
There  are,  however,  over  sixty  distinct  species  of  the  May 
Beetle  inhabiting  the  United  States,  but,  as  their  habits 
are  very  nearly  the  same,  they  may  for  all  practical  pur- 
poses be  considered  as  one.  There  is  scarcely  a  mile 
square  of  good  arable  land  in  the  United  States  that  will 
not  yield  to  the  careful  collector  at  least  a  half  dozen 
species  of  Lachnosterna  or  May  Beetles.  They  are  more 
or  less  abundant  in  the  Gulf  States,  and  northward  to 
Canada;  thence  westward  to  California  and  along  the  en- 
tire Pacific  coast.  These  insects  are  usually  more  abun- 
dant in  grass-lands,  prairies,  meadows  and  pastures  than 
elsewhere,  as  the  principal  food  of  the  grubs  is  the  roots 
of  grass  and  small  herbs  like  the  Strawberry.  They 
sometimes  become  so  abundant  in  meadows  and  pastures 
that,  if  such  land  is  plowed  up  and  planted  with  Straw- 


44  THE   STRAWBERRY   CULTURIST. 

berries,  the  grub  will  destroy  every  plant  almost  as  soon 
as  it  is  put  into  the  ground.  As  these  insects  remain 
in  the  grub  stage  two  or  three  years,  they  consume  a  large 
amount  of  food,  and  they  appear  to  prefer  the  roots 
of  the  Strawberry  to  those  of  the  common  kinds  of 
grasses. 

Owing  to  the  wide  distribution  of  these  insects,  and 
their  almost  universal  presence  in  old  meadows  and  pas- 
tures, these  lands  should  be  avoided  whenever  possible.  If 
broken  up  and  cultivated  for  a  year  or  two,  or  until  the 
grubs  have  passed  into  the  beetle  stage,  there  can  be  no  ob- 
jection to  such  lands  if  otherwise  adapted  to  the  Straw- 
berry. The  female  beetles  usually  resort  to  uncultivated 
fields  to  deposit  their  eggs ;  consequently  they  are  not 
likely  to  become  very  abundant  in  those  that  are  con- 
stantly kept  under  cultivation. 

The  Strawberry  worm  (Empliytus  maculatus)  is  oc- 
casionally very  abundant  and  destructive.  It  is  a  small, 
slender,  pale-green  worm  about  five-eighths  of  an  inch 
long,  attacking  the  leaves,  eating  large  holes  in  them  at 
first,  but  eventually  entirely  denuding  the  plant  of  fol- 
iage. Dusting  the  plants  with  lime  when  the  leaves  are 
wet  with  dew,  or  with  Paris  green,  will  usually  check 
this  pest. 

In  Canada  and  some  of  the  Western  States  an  insect 
known  as  the  Strawberry  Leaf -Roller  is  occasionally  quite 
abundant  and  destructive.  It  is  the  larva  or  caterpiller 
of  a  small  and  handsome  moth,  the  Anchylopera  fra- 
garia.  It  is  quite  probable  that  Paris  green  would  be  an 
effective  remedy  and  might  be  safely  used  after  the  fruit 
was  gathered  in  summer. 

There  are  also  several  species  of  beetles  that  attack 
the  crowns  and  stalks  of  the  Strawberry,  and  the  com- 
mon Strawberry  Crown-borer  ( Tyloderma  fragaria)  at- 


VARIETIES.  45 

tacks  the  embryo  fruit-stalks  in  the  spring,  thereby  de- 
stroying the  most  important  organ  of  the  plants.  The 
only  remedy  known  is  to  immediately  plow  under  the 
plants  and  destroy  the  grubs  while  in  an  immature  stage. 
In  my  own  experience,  however,  I  have  never,  as  yet,  en- 
countered an  insect  enemy  of  the  Strawberry  which  could 
not  be  readily  vanquished  by  clean  cultivation  and  fre- 
quent renewal  of  the  beds  on  plantation. 

VARIETIES. 

"What  varieties  to  plant  is  one  of  the  puzzling  ques- 
tions which  every  inexperienced  cultivator  desires  to 
have  answered.  If  he  consults  the  catalogues  of  dealers, 
he  is  certain  to  find  that  the  newest  and  highest-priced 
variety  is  the  one  above  all  others  that  he  should  select. 
But  if  he  pursues  his  investigations  a  little  farther  in  this 
direction,  and  examines  the  lists  of  a  dozen  different 
dealers  in  plants,  he  will  probably  find  that  no  two  agree, 
each  having  some  special  variety  to  offer,  as  the  very  best 
and  most  promising  one  known.  But  as  society  is  now 
constituted  it  is  considered  as  perfectly  legitimate  for  a 
dealer  to  extol  his  wares,  even  far  above  what  their  merit 
would  warrant  if  the  actual  truth  about  them  was  told  ; 
consequently,  we  are  not  surprised  to  be  informed  by  the 
introducer  of  new  varieties,  that  each  and  every  one  of- 
fered is  far  superior  to  anything  of  the  kind  heretofore 
known.  "Yielding  double  the  quantity  of  any  other 
variety  "  has  become  a  stereotyped  phrase  in  advertising 
new  varieties,  and  yet  every  experienced  cultivator  of 
Strawberries  knows  that  the  Wilson,  introduced  nearly 
thirty  years  ago,  has  never  been  excelled  in  productive- 
ness. A  variety,  which,  under  the  same  conditions, 
would  produce  double  the  quantity  of  this  old  favorite, 


46  THE   STRAWBEKRY   CULTURIST. 

might  certainly  be  considered  something  unique  in  the 
way  of  a  Strawberry. 

Strange  as  it  may  appear  to  the  novice  in  fruit  cul- 
ture, varieties  which  are  most  highly  praised  at  their  in- 
troduction, are  quite  frequently  the  first  to  disappear  from 
cultivation,  while  others  gain  a  prominent  position  in 
spite  of  all  opposition.  The  Wilson,  when  first  exhibited, 
and  for  years  afterwards,  met  with  opposition  and  was 
denounced  as  unfit  for  cultivation  or  use  by  some  of  the 
most  prominent  pomologists  in  the  country.  Yet  it 
continued  to  grow  in  favor  until,  within  the  past  decade 
or  less,  it  was  more  extensively  cultivated  than  any  other 
variety,  and  probably  there  were  more  acres  planted  with 
it  than  all  the  others  put  together,  and  even  at  this  late 
day  it  is  considered  a  standard  and  profitable  berry. 

This  variety  was  said  to  be  too  acid  and  too  dark 
colored  for  a  market  berry,  and  the  late  berries  on  the 
plant  were  too  small,  all  of  which  is  true,  but  the  fruit 
is  very  firm,  withstands  long  carriage  and  rough  hand- 
ling, and  when  it  comes  to  filling  the  baskets  and  crates 
at  gathering  time  the  Wilson  rarely  disappointed  the 
cultivator  or  consumer,  who  sought  the  markets  for  his 
supply  of  Strawberries. 

The  lesson  to  be  learned  from  the  erratic  reputation 
of  the  Wilson  is  that  first  impressions  are  not  always 
trustworthy,  and  a  variety  may  prove  better  than  it 
promises  when  first  introduced,  although  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted that  the  chances  are  ten  to  one  against  the  very 
best  of  new  sorts. 

In  the  following  select  list  of  varieties  I  propose 
mentioning  only  those  which  have  gained  a  local  or 
widespread  reputation  for  excellence,  without  regard  to 
the  length  of  time  they  may  have  been  in  cultivation. 
Pistillate  varieties  are  indicated  by  the  letter  P. 


VARIETIES. 


47 


Agriculturist. — Very  large,  irregular,  conical ;  with 
long  neck,  large  specimens  often  flattened  or  coxcomb 
shape  ;  color  light  red  or  reddish  crimson.  A  large  and 
valuable  variety  for  garden  culture,  but  when  cultivated 
in  beds  the  fruit  is  only  of  medium  size,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  10. 

Bidwell. — Large,  irregular,  conical ;  bright  scarlet ; 
flesh  only  moderately  firm  ;  quality  excellent.  A  vigorous 
grower,  and  in  heavy  soils  quite 
productive.  Its  reputation  as  a 
market  variety  is  rather  local. 

Black  Defiance. — Large,  ir- 
regular in  shape  ;  dark  glossy 
crimson  ;  flesh  moderately  firm  ; 
high  flavored.  Color  too  dark 
and  dull  for  market,  but  a  good 
berry  for  home  use. 

Brooklyn  Scarlet.— Medium 
to  large,  regular  conical  with  neck, 
as  shown  in  Fig.  1 1 ;  color  bright 
light  scarlet ;  flesh  rather  soft, 
sweet  and  rich ;  quality  best. 
An  excellent  variety  for  home  use,  but  now  rarely  seen 
in  cultivation. 


Fig.  10.— AMERICAN 

AGRICULTURIST. 


Champion  (Windsor  Chief.—  P.) — Large  round; 
bright  crimson  ;  flesh  rather  soft  and  of  a  spicy  acid 
flavor,  only  second  best.  Plants  vigorous  and  exceed- 
ingly productive  when  planted  in  rich  soils  and  near  a 
variety  yielding  an  abundance  of  pollen. 

Charles  Downing. — Medium  to  large,  round  ob- 
tuse conical ;  very  regular  in  form ;  bright  scarlet,  be- 
coming darker  when  fully  ripe  ;  flesh  moderately  firm, 


48 


THE   STEAWBEKBY    CULTURIST. 


pink,  juicy,  with  a  rich,  sprightly  subacid  flavor.  One 
of  the  very  best  and  most  popular  varieties  in  cultiva- 
tion, and  now  extensively  cultivated  for  market  in  all 

of  our  Northern  States.  The 
plants  are  very  hardy  and 
yield  a  heavy  crop  when  cul- 
tivated in  rows  or  matted 
beds. 

Crescent. — Medium  to 
large,  somewhat  irregular 
conical ;  bright  scarlet ;  flesh 
rather  soft  for  a  market 
berry,  but  will  carry  well  for 
a  short  distance  ;  quality  fair 
but  not  rich ;  the  plants, 
however,  are  so  productive 
that  this  variety  has  been 
called  "The  lazy  man's 
berry." 

Cumberland  Triumph  (Jumbo). — Very  large  ob- 
tuse conical,  but  under  high  culture,  or  when  forced 
under  glass,  is  somewhat  irregular  ;  light  bright  scarlet ; 
flesh  pale  pink  of  excellent  flavor,  A  vigorous  grower 
and  very  productive  in  strong  fertile  soils,  Very  popu- 
lar among  amateur  cultivators  of  the  Strawberry. 

Downer's  Prolific. — Medium,  globular,  light  scar- 
let ;  seed  deeply  imbedded  ;  flesh  rather  soft,  acid,  not 
rich,  but  highly  perfumed.  This  is  an  old  variety,  but 
so  very  hardy  and  prolific  that  it  is  still  cultivated  more 
or  less  extensively  for  market. 

Durand. — Large,  oblong  or  oblong  conical  (Fig. 
12),  sometimes  flattened,  seeds  but  slightly  imbedded  ; 


Fig.  11. — BROOKLYN 
SCARLET. 


VARIETIES. 


49 


Fig.  12. — DURAND. 


color  scarlet;  flesh  firm,  solid;  nearly  white,  of  good 
flavor.  This  variety  has  only  a  moderate  local  reputa- 
tion among  amateurs. 

Forest  Hose. — Large,  ir- 
regular, obtuse  conical; 
bright  scarlet ;  flesh  firm,  of 
good  flavor ;  a  superior  mar- 
ket variety,  but  does  not  suc- 
ceed well  in  all  kinds  of 
soils  that  are  usually  consid- 
ered well  adapted  to  the 
Strawberry.  (Fig.  13), 

Glendale. — Large,  regu- 
lar, conical ;  dull  scarlet ; 
flesh  firm,  acid,  not  first 
quality,  but  a  valuable  late 
variety  for  market.  Succeeds  best  on  rather  firm  soils 
and  poorly  on  sandy  land. 

Green  Prolific. — Large  round ;  pale  crimson  or 
deep  scarlet ;  seeds  slightly 
sunken,  rather  soft,  acid, 
without  richness,  but  highly 
perfumed.  A  wonderfully 
hardy  and  productive  variety; 
extensively  cultivated  a  few 
years  since  for  market,  as  it 
succeeds  on  a  great  variety  of 
soils,  and  when  left  to  grow 
with  little  or  no  cultivation. 
Fig.  14  shows  a  berry  about 
average  size  from  matted  rows 
and  beds. 


Fig.  13. — FOREST  ROSE. 


Hovey  (P.). — Large  conical ;  bright  crimson  ;  sub- 


50  THE   STRAWBERRY   CULTURIST. 

acid,  sprightly  and  good.  The  oldest  American  variety 
of  any  note,  and,  although  it  has  been  in  constant  culti- 
vation for  nearly  a  half  century,  it  is  still  popular  in  re- 
stricted localities,  and  especially 
in  Massachusetts  where  it  origi- 
nated. Three  prizes  are  offered 
for  the  Hovey  by  the  "Massa- 
chusetts Horticultural  Society" 
at  its  forthcoming  Strawberry 
Exhibition,  June  21  and  22. 

Jewell. — Very  large,  obtuse 
conical ;    bright   crimson  ;   very 
Fig.  14.— GREEN  PRO-     firm   and   of   fine  flavor.     This 
LIFIC.  variety    was    awarded    a    silver 

medal  by  the   Massachusetts  Horticultural   Society  in 
1880.     Highly  recommended  for  home  use  and  market. 

Jessie. — This  new  variety  was  raised  in  1880  by  Mr. 
F.  W.  London,  of  Wisconsin  ;  it  is  a  seedling  of  the 
Sharpless,  and  partakes  of  all  the  most  desirable  quali- 
ties of  its  parent.  The  originator  describes  the  plant 
as  "a  stout,  luxuriant  grower,  with  Iight7green,  large 
and  clean  foliage,  which  has  never  shown  signs  of  rust ; 
the  berry  very  large,  continuing  of  good  size  to  the  last 
picking ;  it  is  of  beautiful  red  color,  fine  quality,  good 
form,  colors  even  with  no  white  tips,  and  is  firm  enough 
for  shipping  great  distances/'  From  all  that  I  can  learn 
about  this  new  variety  it  seems  to  be  well  worthy  of 
trial 

Jucunda. — Large  conical ;  bright  crimson,  excellent 
flower  ;  a  strong  and  vigorous  grower  on  rich  and  heavy 
soils,  but  almost  worthless  on  light  or  sandy  soils.  A 
foreign  variety,  first  disseminated  in  this  country  under 


VARIETIES. 


51 


the  name  of  Knox's  700.     It  is  still  cultivated  about 
Boston  but  rarely  elsewhere.     (Fig.  15). 

Kentucky. — Medium  to  large,  conical ;  bright  scar- 
let ;  flesh  white,  moderately 
firm,  excellent  flavor ;  ri- 
pens late  and  continues  in 
fruit  a  long  time.  Plants 
vigorous,  hardy  and  very 
productive.  Succeeds  well 
on  light  soils. 


Fig.  15.— JUCUNDA. 


Lennig's  White. — 

Large  obtuse  conical;  seed 
prominent  and  of  a  pink  or 
light  crimson  color  in  the 
sun;  fruit  almost  white,  but 
with  a  delicate  blush  on  the 
side  exposed  to  the  sun. 
This  is  evidently  a  seedling  of  the  Chili  species,  and  it 
is  rather  tender  and  unproductive,  but  withal  an  excel- 
lent variety. 

Miner's  Great  Prolific.— Large  to  very  large; 
somewhat  irregular  but  inclining  to  a  globular  form  ; 
deep  bright  crimson  :  flesh  pink,  firm  and  of  good 
flavor ;  plant  vigorous,  leaves  large,  light  green,  quite 
glossy.  A  very  popular  variety  among  amateurs  as  well 
as  those  who  cultivate  Strawberries  extensively  for  mar- 
ket 

President  Wilder. — Medium,  obtuse  conical,  very 
regular ;  seeds  yellow  ;  skin  bright  glossy  scarlet ;  flesh 
firm,  but  juicy  and  very  high  flavored.  One  of  the 
handsomest  varieties  in  cultivation,  but  the  plants  are 
rather  delicate  and  the  leaves  burn  during  the  hot 
weather  in  summer.  Said  to  succeed  well  in  the  New 


52  THE   STRAWBERRY   CULTTJRIST. 

England  States,  but  I  have  not  learned  of  its  success 
elsewhere. 

Seth  Boyden. — Very  large,  irregular,  conical  with 
long  neck  ;  dull  crimson  ;  flesh  firm,  rather  dry,  sweet 
and  of  excellent  flavor ;  plant,  extra  vigorous  and  pro- 
ductive when  cultivated  in  hills  and  in  a  rich  soil.  One 
of  the  very  best  and  most  valuable  of  all  the  extra  large 
varieties. 

Sharpless. — This  is  another  of  the  mammoth  va- 
rieties and  the  more  remarkable  because  it  has  proved 
to  be  all  that  was  claimed  for  it  when  first  introduced. 
Uniformly  large ;  often  broadly  wedge-form  and  wider 
at  the  top  than  at  the  calyx;  light  glossy  red;  flesh 
firm,  juicy,  rich  and  highly  perfumed ;  plant  vigorous 
and  productive.  One  of  the  very  best. 


Fig.  16.— TRIOMPHE  DE  GAND. 

Triomphe  de  Oand. — One  of  the  most  popular 
and  valuable  varieties  ever  introduced.  Very  large  ir- 
regular, conical,  but  often  flattened  or  coxcomb  shape 


VARIETIES.  53 

as  in  Fig.  16,  pale  or  bright ;  flesh  very  firm,  crop  not 
rich,  but  of  a  mild  and  pleasant  flavor.  This  variety 
has  probably  been  more  extensively  cultivated,  antf  given 
better  satisfaction  than  any  foreign  variety,  and  it  has 
no  superior  to  this  day  for  size  or  production  of  the 
plants. 

Wilson  or  Wilson's  Albany. — An  old  and  well- 
known  variety.  Large,  irregular,  conical ;  dark  crimson 
when  fully  ripe  ;  flesh  crimson,  very  firm,  acid,  but  good 
and  bears  transportation  well.  One  of  the  most  produc- 
tive varieties  known. 

NEWER  AND  LESS  KNOWN  VARIETIES. 

Henderson. — Said  to  be  of  the  largest  size,  early 
and  unusually  productive,  and  of  exquisite  flavor. 

Indiana. — Claimed  to  be  an  improvement  on  the 
Charles  Downing,  but  similar  in  size,  color  and  quality. 

Lida  (P). — One  of  Mr.  Durand's  seedlings,  claimed 
to  be  of  very  large  size ;  heart  shaped ;  bright  red  color, 
excellent  flavor,  and  the  plants  very  productive. 

May  King.— Seedlings  of  the  Crescent,  and  resembles 
its  parent,  but  the  flowers  are  perfect.  Berries  are  not 
large  but  ripen  early  and  are  produced  in  great  abund- 
ance. 

Old  Iron  Clad  or  Phelps. — I  obtained  this  variety 
under  the  last  name,  and  have  been  much  pleased  with 
it.  Fruit  medium,  conical ;  bright  crimson ;  firm  and 
rather  acid  but  good.  Plants  very  productive. 

Parry. — Highly  recommended  for  its  large  size,  and 
has  been  awarded  several  prizes  at  various  Strawberry 
shows  in  New  York  and  elsewhere.  Plants  said  to  with- 
stand droughts  better  than  any  other  variety. 


54  THE  STRAWBERRY  CULTURIST. 

THE   HAUTBOIS   AND   ALPINE   STRAWBERRIES. 

All  of  the  varieties  of  the  Hautbois  Strawberry  (Fro* 
garia  elatior)  have  a  rather  strong  musky  odor,  which 
is  rather  disagreeable  to  most  persons,  and  the  fruit  is 
usually  of  a  dull  red  or  greenish  color  and  not  very  at- 
tractive in  appearance.  They  are  altogether  inferior  to 
the  varieties  of  other  species,  and  for  this  reason  are 
rarely  cultivated  except  in  the  gardens  of  botanists. 

The  Alpine  Strawberry  (F.  vescd),  on  the  contrary, 
is  of  a  very  mild  flavor  with  a  delicious  perfume.  There 
are  quite  a  large  number  of  varieties  in  cultivation  in 
Europe,  and,  while  none  yield  very  large  berries,  they  are 
mostly  quite  prolific  and  will  thrive  in  cold  exposed  po- 
sitions where  those  of  other  species  would  perish. 

In  the  catalogues  of  European  nurserymen  and  those 
who  make  Strawberry  growing  a  specialty,  we  may  find 
thirty  or  more  varieties  of  the  Alpine  Strawberry  de- 
scribed, but  the  larger  proportion  of  the  names  used  in 
these  catalogues  are  mere  synonyms,  and  it  would  probably 
be  difficult  to  find  a  dozen  really  distinct  varieties  of  this 
species  in  all  Europe.  There  are,  however,  four  really 
distinct  varieties,  all  long  known  in  this  country,  and 
now  generally  cultivated  in  European  countries  although 
under  various  names.  These  are  : 

Red-Bush  Alpine. — Fruit  medium  size,  conical  > 
bright  red  ;  seeds  prominent,  not  sunken  as  usual  in  the 
common  Strawberry ;  flavor  mild,  not  highly  but  deli- 
cately perfumed.  Plants  continue  bearing  from  June 
till  checked  by  frosts  in  autumn.  In  rich  soils  the  plants 
will  yield  well  throughout  the  entire  season.  As  they 
produce  no  runners  they  must  be  propagated  by  divi- 
sions. 


PROFITS   OF   STRAWBERRY   CULTURE.  55 

White-Bush  Alpine. — In  every  respect  the  same 
as  last  except  the  fruit  is  pure  white. 

Red- Monthly  Alpine. — Fruit  very  similar  but 
usually  a  little  larger  than  that  of  the  Bush- Alpines,  but 
plants  produce  runners  freely,  and  the  new  plants  on  the 
runners  bloom  and  bear  fruit  the  first  season,,  thereby 
keeping  up  a  succession  of  berries  from  June  to  the  close 
of  the  season. 

White-Monthly  Alpine. — This  is  a  variety  of  the 
last,  but  with  pure  white  fruit.  The  Monthly  Alpines 
with  runners  are  elegant  conservatory  plants,  or  they 
may  be  used  for  trailing  over  wire  screens  and  for  hang- 
ing baskets  in  window  gardening. 

PROFITS  OF  STRAWBERRY  CULTURE. 

Persons  who  have  had  no  experience  in  raising  Straw- 
berries, but  are  considering  the  subject  of  cultivating 
them  for  market,  are  usually  very  desirous  of  ascertain- 
ing in  advance  what  the  prospects  are  for  deriving  a 
profit  on  their  proposed  investment.  Unfortunately, 
however,  for  the  would-be  investor  in  such  an  enter- 
prise, results  depend  greatly  upon  circumstances,  such 
as  available  markets  within  a  reasonable  distance  ;  plenty 
of  labor  at  a  moderate  price  and  at  a  season  when  need- 
ed most ;  cheap  lands  and  fertilizers,  and  last,  but  not 
least,  favorable  seasons.  If  a^man  must  depend  upon 
hired  labor  to  gather  his  fruit  he  is  never  certain,  in 
these  days  of  "  Strikes,5''  what  it  is  going  to  cost  him  to 
gather  and  prepare  it  for  market.  The  most  clear  profit 
made  in  the  cultivation  of  the  Strawberry  for  market  is 
by  the  small  farmers  and  gardeners  in  the  suburbs  or 
within  a  moderate  distance  of  our  large  cities,  who  have 


56  THE  STEAWBEEEY  CULTUEIST. 

children  to  assist  in  gathering  the  fruit  or  can  always 
depend  upon  those  of  their  neighbors  to  lend  a  hand 
when  needed.  An  acre  of  Strawberries  under  high  cul- 
tivation, with  the  fruit  gathered  and  marketed  in  the 
very  best  condition,  will  often  yield  more  clear  profit  ^o 
the  grower  than  ten  acres  under  opposite  conditions. 

Circumstances  have  changed  since  the  first  edition 
of  this  little  treatise  was  written,  for  at  that  time  our 
large  cities  and  villages  were  wholly  supplied  with  small 
fruit,  by  the  farmers  and  gardeners  in  their  immediate 
vicinity,  and,  if  the  seasons  were  unfavorable,  the  price 
of  fruit  advanced  in  proportion,  and  the  grower  was  sure 
of  obtaining  a  fair  remuneration  for  his  labor  whether 
he  had  a  large  or  limited  crop  of  fruit.  But  all  this  is 
now  changed,  for  railroads  have  practically  annihilated 
distance  in  the  transportation  of  perishable  commodities 
of  all  kinds,  and  the  Strawberry  growers  of  no  one  local- 
ity or  region  of  the  country  are  masters  of  their  own 
local  markets,  for  those  residing  a  hundred  or  even  five- 
hundred  miles  away  may  become  their  most  persistent 
and  successful  competitors.  If  a  market  is  not  fully 
supplied,  and  prices  go  up  in  consequence,  the  telegraph 
conveys  the  information  to  those  who  may  be  able  to 
supply  the  deficiency;  hence  local  monopolies  are  no  lon- 
ger possible.  The  Strawberry  season  in  our  Northern 
cities  opens  with  fruit  from  Florida,  and  continues  until 
the  last  crate  comes  in  from  Maine  or  Canada,  and  yet, 
fresh,  choice,  large  fruit  usually  commands  a  fairly  re- 
munerative price  in  all  of  our  large  cities  and  villages 
throughout  the  entire  country. 

While  the  profits  of  Strawberry  culture  are  not  so 
large  as  they  were  twenty  or  thirty  years  ago,  still,  they 
are  sufficient  to  induce  those  who  have  longest  made  the 
cultivation  of  this  berry  a  specialty,  to  continue  in  the 


PROFITS  OF  STRAWBERRY  CULTURE.  5? 

business.  On  good  land,  with  the  best  and.  most  pro- 
ductive varieties,  one  to  three  hundred  dollars  per  acre 
profit  are  usually  realized,  which  is  a  far  greater  sum 
than  is  generally  obtained  from  any  of  the  leading  farm 
crops. 


•    INDEX. 


Page 

ALPINE  Strawberry 

Anchylopera  Fragaria 4 

Artificial  Fertilization 4< 

BED  or  Matted  System 36 

British  Queen 1 

Bush  Alpine 2~ 

CHILI  Strawberry  (Figured) 21 

Chili  Strawberry 

DIFFERENT  Modes  of  Cultivation..  33 

EFFECTS  of  Root  Pruning 31 

Emphytus  Maculatus 44 

FBESSANT  Strawberry 9 

Forcing  Houses 43 

Fragaria  Calif  ornica 6 

Chiliensis 7 

elatior 7 

Indica 7 

var.  Illinbensis 6 

Vesca 5 

Virginiana 6 

GBOVE  END  Scarlet  Strawberry —  10 

HATTTBOIS  and  Alpines 54 

High  wood  Strawberry 7 

History  of  the  Strawberry 8 

Hovey  Strawberry 11 

How  and  When  to  Plant .  30 

INFLTTENCE  of  Pollen 16 

Insect  Enemies 43 

KEEN'S  Seedling  Strawberry 10 

MANCHESTER  Strawberry 14 

Manures 29 

May  Beetles 43 

NEWER  and  Less  Known  Varieties.  53 


Page. 

PERFECT  Flower  of  Strawberry 13 

Perfect  Flower,  Enlarged 13 

Pistillate  Flower 12 

Pistillate  Flower,  Enlarged   12 

Plant  with  Roots  Pruned 31 

Planting 37 

Pot  Plants 26 

Pot  Culture  and  Forcing 39 

Preserving  Strawberry  Seed 24 

Profits  of  Strawberry  Culture 56 

Propagation 23 

Propagation  By  Division 27 

Propagation  By  Runners 26 

Pruning  the  Roots 31 

RAISING  Seedlings 23 

Red  Bush  Alpine   55 

Red  Monthly  Alpine 55 

Roseberry  Strawberry 10 

SELECTION  of  Plants •  —  33 

Sexuality  of  the  Strawberry 11 

Soil  and  Its  Preparation . .  28 

Strawberry  Crown-borer 44 

Strawberry  Leaf -Roller ...  44 

Structure  of  Plants 19 

TEMPERATURE  of  Forcing  House. . .  40 

The  Strawberry  Worm 44 

To  Raise  Extra  Large  Fruit 38 

Triomphe  de  Gand 22 

Tyloderma  Fragaria 44 

VARIETIES  for  Forcing 41 

Varieties,  Names  of 45 

Agriculturist 47 

Alpine  Red  Bush 55 

Red  Monthly. 55 

White  Bush 55 

Bidwell  White  Monthly 47 


IJTDIX. 


59 


Page. 
VARIETIES,  Names  of—  continued. 

Black  Defiance 47 

Brooklyn  Scarlet 47 

Champion 47 

Charles  Downing 47 

Crescent 48 

Cumberland  Triumph 48 

Downer's  Prolific 48 

Durand 48 

Forest  Rose 49 

Glendale 49 

Green  Prolific 49 

Henderson 53 

Hovey 49 

Indiana 53 

Jessie 50 

Jewell 50 

Jucunda 50 

Kentucky. 61 


VARIETIES,  Names  of— continued. 

Lennig's  White 51 

Lida 53 

May  King 53 

Miner's  Great  Prolific 51 

Old  Iron  Clad  or  Phelps 54 

Parry 54 

President  Wilder 51 

Seth  Boyden 52 

Sharpless 52 

Triomphe  de  Gand 52 

Wilson  or  Wilson's  Albany 58 

Virginian  Strawberry 10 

Virginian  Strawberry,  Figured.  20 

White  Monthly  Alpine 55 

White  Bush  Alpine 55 

White  Grub 43 

Wood  itrawbarry 9 


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ping station,  and  the  manufacture  of  butter  on  the  farm. 
It  is  written  in  a  simple,  popular  way,  being  free  from  tech- 
nical terms,  and  is  easily  understood  by  the  average  farm 
boy.  The  book  is  just  the  thing  for  the  every-day  dairy- 
man, and  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  farmer  in  the 
country.  Illustrated.  5x7  inches.  100  pages.  Cloth.  Net,  $0.50. 

A  Dairy  Laboratory  Guide 

By  H.  E.  Ross.  While  the  book  is  intended  primarily 
for  use  in  the  laboratory,  it  should  be  of  value  to  the 
practical  dairyman.  The  time  has  come  when  the  suc- 
cessful dairyman  must  study  his  business  from  a  purely 
scientific  point  of  view,  and  in  this  book  the  scientific 
principles,  upon  which  dairy  industry  is  based,  are  stated 
clearly  and  simply,  and  wherever  it  is  possible,  these  prin- 
ciples are  illustrated  by  practical  problems  and  examples. 

90  pages.     5x7  inches.     Cloth Net,  $0.50 

(2) 


Profitable  Stock  Raising 

By  CLARENCE  A.  SHAMEL.  This  book  covers  fully  the 
principles  of  breeding  and  feeding  for  both  fat  stock  and 
dairying  type.  It  tells  of  sheep  and  mutton  raising,  hot 
house  lambs,  the  swine  industry  and  the  horse  market. 
Finally,  he  tells  of  the  preparation  of  stock  for  the  market 
and  how  to  prepare  it  so  that  it  will  bring  a  high  market 
price.  Live  stock  is  the  most  important  feature  of  farm 
life,  and  statistics  show  a  production  far  short  of  the 
actual  requirements.  There  are  many  problems  to  be 
faced  in  the  profitable  production  of  stock,  and  these  are 
fully  and  comprehensively  covered  in  Mr.  Shamel's  new 
book.  Illustrated.  5x7  inches.  288  pages.  Cloth. 

Net,  $1.50 

The  Business  of  Dairying 

By  C.  B.  LANE.  The  author  of  this  practi&l  little  book 
is  to  be  congratulated  on  the  successful  manner  in  which 
he  has  treated  so  important  a  subject.  It  has  been  pre- 
pared for  the  use  of  dairy  students,  producers  and  handlers 
of  milk,  and  all  who  make  dairying  a  business.  Its  pur- 
pose is  to  present  in  a  clear  and  concise  manner  various 
business  methods  and  systems  which  will  help  the  dairy- 
man to  reap  greater  profits.  This  book  meets  the  needs 
of  the  average  dairy  farmer,  and  if  carefully  followed  will 
lead  to  successful  dairying.  It  may  also  be  used  as  an 
elementary  textbook  for  colleges,  and  especially  in  short- 
course  classes.  Illustrated.  5x7  inches.  300  pages.  Cloth. 

Net,  $1.25 

Questions  and  Answers  on  Buttermaking 

By  CHAS  A.  PUBLOW.  This  book  is  entirely  different 
from  the  usual  type  of  dairy  books,  and  is  undoubtedly  in 
a  class  by  itself.  The  entire  subject  of  butter-making  in 
all  its  branches  has  been  most  thoroughly  treated,  and 
many  new  and  important  features  have  been  added.  The 
tests  for  moisture,  salt  and  acid  have  received  special 
attention,  as  have  also  the  questions  on  cream  separa- 
tion, pasteurization,  commercial  starters,  cream  ripening, 
cream  overrun,  marketing  of  butter,  and  creamery  man- 
agement. Illustrated.  5x7  inches.  100  pages.  Cloth. 

Net,  $0.50 

Questions  and  Answers  on  Milk  and  Milk  Testing 

By  CHAS.  A.  PUBLOW,  and  HUGH  C.  TROY.  A  book  that 
no  student  in  the  dairy  industry  can  afford  to  be  without. 
No  other  treatise  of  its  kind  is  available,  and  no  book  of 
its  size  gives  so  much  practical  and  useful  information  in 
the  study  of  milk  and  milk  products.  Illustrated.  5x7 
inches.  100  pages.  Cloth.  ,,,«**.  Net,  $0.50 

(3) 


Soils 

By  CHARLES  WILLIAM  BURKETT,  Director  Kansas  Agri- 
cultural Experiment  Station.  The  most  complete  and 
popular  work  of  the  kind  ever  published.  As  a  rule,  a 
book  of  this  sort  is  dry  and  uninteresting,  but  in  this  -case 
it  .reads  like  a  novel.  The  author  has  put  into  it  his  in- 
dividuality. The  story  of  the  properties  of  the  soils,  their 
improvement  and  management,  as  well  as  a  discussion  of 
the  problems  of  crop  growing  and  crop  feeding,  make  this 
book  equally  valuable  to  the  farmer,  student  and  teacher. 
Illustrated.  303  pages.  5^x8  inches.  Cloth.  .  Net,  $1.25 

Weeds  of  the  Farm  Garden 

By  L.  H.  PAMMEL.  The  enormous  losses,  amounting 
to  several  hundred  million  dollars  annually  in  the  United 
States,  caused  by  weeds  stimulate  us  to  adopt  a  better 
system  of  agriculture.  The  weed  question  is,  therefore, 
a  most  important  and  vital  one  for  American  farmers. 
This  treatise  will  enable  the  farmer  to  treat  his  field  to 
remove  weeds.  The  book  is  profusely  illustrated  by  photo- 
graphs and  drawings  made  expressly  for  this  work,  and 
will  prove  invaluable  to  every  farmer,  land  owner,  gar- 
dener and  park  superintendent.  5x7  inches.  300  pages. 
Cloth Net,  $1.50 

Farm  Machinery  and  Farm  Motors 

By  J.  B.  DAVIDSON  and  L.  W.  CHASE.  Farm  Machinery 
and  Farm  Motors  is  the  first  American  book  published 
on  the  subject  of  Farm  Machinery  since  that  written  by 
J.  J.  Thomas  in  1867.  This  was  before  the  development 
of  many  of  the  more  important  farm  machines,  and  the 
general  application  of  power  to  the  work  of  the  farm. 
Modern  farm  machinery  is  indispensable  in  present-day 
farming  operations,  and  a  practical  book  like  Farm  Ma- 
chinery and  Farm  Motors  will  fill  a  much-felt  need.  The 
book  has  been  written  from  lectures  used  by  the  authors 
before  their  classes  for  several  years,  and  which  were  pre- 
pared from  practical  experience  and  a  thorough  review  of 
the  literature  pertaining  to  the  subject.  Although  written 
primarily  as  a  text-book,  it  is  equally  useful  for  the  prac- 
tical farmer.  Profusely  illustrated.  5^*8  inches.  520 
pages.  Cloth Net,  $2.00 

The  Book  of  Wheat 

By  P.  T.  DONDLINGER.  This  book  comprises  a  complete 
study  of  everything  pertaining  to  wheat.  It  is  the  work 
of  a  student  of  economic  as  well  as  agricultural  condi- 
tions, well  fitted  by  the  broad  experience  in  both  practical 
and  theoretical  lines  to  tell  the  whole  story  in  a  condensed 
form.  It  is  designed  for  the  farmer,  the  teacher,  and  the 
student  as  well.  Illustrated.  5^x8  inches.  370  pages. 
Cloth. . Net,  $2.00 

(4) 


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